The Stand Out Blog

How to Grow Your Social Authority

2011-11-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

Social authority isn’t given, it’s earned. To develop social authority you basically need to do two things: 1. cultivate a following or network and 2. consistently add value. That’s it. Sometimes people make it a lot more complicated than it really is.

I believe every brand has information that is of value to the marketplace, and today there are more affordable avenues than ever before to showcase and share that knowledge. To begin, simply decide which social media platform is the best fit for you (hint – it is probably where you clients and customers are spending their time). Next, establish a professional profile and then you’ll be ready to start connecting to others and sharing what you know and learn.

I recommend sharing in ways that go beyond just words – use pictures, charts, graphics and videos as well because so many of us are visual and appreciate seeing as well as reading. Also, look for role models online to help guide you. It’s easy to do a search of who is the leading force in your industry on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or Facebook. Follow or connect with those people to discover what folks are responding to and finding helpful.

As you progress, you’ll more fully find your unique voice and you may be surprised at some of the far flung connections you make. You’ll also want to set some clear and specific goals for your online efforts early on. Knowing where you want to go will help keep you on track and will make it easier for you to decide if the time you’re spending online is providing a measurable return on investment. If you’re not prepared to form authentic, sincere relationships, social media is no place for you.

Ultimately, social media is a lot like networking – it involves developing relationships rather than selling. It is important to come from a place of contribution. Recognized and lauded social authorities share a focus on helping others succeed and reach their goals, so it’s best to keep in mind how your expertise can save others time, money or effort in developing your content. Les Brown said, “Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours.” Keep an eye out for useful tips, showcase up and coming tools, help others make sense of new trends and provide feedback and input. Most of all, stick with it! When people realize you are steadily delivering great information your social stock will soar and you will become an important social authority.

Finding Time For Marketing

2011-08-14T10:25:00.001-07:00

If you’ve subscribed to my ezine for a while, you know I’m all about consistency when it comes to doing marketing. That’s because you get better results with small, steady action than with occasional, splashy efforts. But finding the time for that small steady action can be tricky. Business owners are pulled in so many directions, and often marketing can fall to the bottom of the list.

To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, block out time in your calendar for marketing each week. Or delegate it to someone who can help manage the tasks for you. Now you only need to schedule a regular check-in meeting to keep your marketing on track. Another tip is to use an accountability partner – perhaps a business owner friend who wants to keep on top of her marketing too. You can touch base by phone or email as a way to help make sure you finish your top projects.

Batching tasks is another way to whip through your marketing – do all the writing for your blog, website, direct mail and social media in one fell swoop, leveraging the content different ways. Now you’ve fully reaped the rewards of that time investment. If marketing isn’t your favorite thing but you’re not ready to delegate it, set a timer and commit to working on it for at least 15 minutes. You can actually accomplish more than you’d expect in that small amount of time, and by just getting started you may find it’s easier to keep going.

A lot of wasted time in marketing stems from being unclear about your goals. Maybe instead of diving into marketing tasks, it would be better to clarify exactly what results you want, and then only do those marketing steps that are most likely to deliver. Lastly, make more time for marketing by letting go of less important activities. Do you really personally need to run to the store for envelopes and paper or can someone else do that? Notice what fills your time and look for areas to release so that you can focus on things that give a higher pay-off.

© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com

Networking Hangover - Take the Pain out of Follow Up

2011-08-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

Once a networking event is over, what do you do? If you're like most business people the answer is go back to your office and immediately get buried in a pile of work. STOP. Wrong answer.

A huge piece of your networking success is going to come from follow-up, and like anything else in life, it is your habits that make all the difference. If you routinely come back from events, throw the business cards you collected in a pile and forget all about them, you are probably not realizing the best return on investment from your networking activities. Follow-up is easy to do, but it is also easy NOT to do, which is why your habits are so important.

To make it as easy on yourself as possible, consider creating a follow-up checklist. Your checklist doesn't have to be long and complicated, it can be just a record of the simple steps you'd like to take once you get back from an event.

Maybe you will want to email some of the people you've met and thank them for something they said or did for you. Maybe you'll want to log onto your LinkedIn or Twitter account and send connection requests or follow certain people. Maybe there are prospects you need to call and schedule a meeting or coffee with. If you do an ezine, there might be names you want to add to your distribution list.

A simple networking follow-up checklist can walk you or your assistant through these steps so they get handled quickly and efficiently. You won't miss opportunities and you won't have that dreaded pile of businesses cards sitting on your desk collecting dust and making you feel guilty. A once-a-week trip through your checklist keeps everything fresh in your mind and ensures you're making the most of the time you spend networking.

TIP: Create and use a simple follow-up checklist to help make your networking effective and guilt-free.

© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com

Grow Your Business With Article Marketing

2011-08-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Did you know that writing and publishing articles on the Internet can be an effective and affordable way to grow your business and increase your visibility? There are hundreds of article aggregators online today that are actively looking for the kind of expert content you can provide to others.

Since I started regularly posting articles over the past couple of years, I've achieved my goal of letting a much wider pool of people who are interested in the topics I write about find me online. That's because article aggregators attract tens of millions of visitors each month. Their heavy traffic can benefit you too. Why might you want to publish articles online? Here are my top five reasons:

1. Increases your perception as an expert - Most people do not take the time to even write a personal letter, much less author articles. Even though it isn't really difficult once you get the hang of it, being a published author, even online, really adds to your expertise and the comfort with which people will chose to do business with you.

2. Expands your capillary system - Article marketing is like a giant capillary system that branches out, reaching a much wider pool of prospective customers than you could do in the physical world, and sucking them into your pipeline. Every business needs a steady flow of new prospects and article marketing provides it.

3. Ease of Entry- It is more difficult to publish articles in print publications than online. To write in a print publication, you'll need to be vetted by a gatekeeper or two and have discussions about exactly what you propose to offer, which takes time. Also, with print advertising budgets dwindling, most print publications have fewer pages available. But online it is a quick and simple matter to submit your articles and see them posted.

4. Long shelf life - Once people read a publication they either pass it along to someone else or throw it away. Your article might not ever be read again. But online, each one is up in cyberspace for years, greatly increasing your return on investment.

5. Provides leverage - Leverage is a key concept for all small business owners. It means re-using and repurposing your work in every way that you can. If you're already publishing articles for an ezine, article marketing gives you a way to further benefit from that work. You can also leverage your articles on social media to increase your return on investment for any writing you are already doing.

© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com

Your Email Signature - How to Make it Even Better

2011-05-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Forgive me, but I get a little hot under the collar when talking about email signatures. Email signatures are simply the information that automatically posts at the bottom of your emails, below your messages. Just this week alone I received two emails from business contacts asking me to call them to discuss work-related opportunities, yet neither one made use of an email signature, which forced me to try to track down their number like a professional investigator. Did I enjoy that? No I did not.

Everyone who uses email really needs to make use of an email signature. Otherwise you are inconveniencing the people you communicate with when it comes time for them to call you, visit your website or mail you something. Do you really want to force them to track down your business card from months ago, or go on an online search for how to reach you?

If you are already using an email signature, congrats! But you're still not off the hook with me. Is your email signature comprehensive, easy to read, attractive and does it have a message that gets across your unique service proposition?

In addition to having your complete mailing information and contact phone numbers, your email signature could also include a graphic of your logo, your tagline, a line of type sharing some cool new news about your company as well as a link to your website and social media pages. Use a font and colors that align with your overall brand to keep things consistent.

Email signatures are simple to set up, free to use and they offer a wide variety of options that can enhance the branding of any business. Take a moment today to look at your email signature with fresh eyes. When it's comprehensive, attractive and clearly shares something positive about what you do you're using it to its best advantage.

© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included. ©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com/ezine.html

Throw Sunshine On Their Parade

2011-04-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

Has this ever happened to you? You get a new idea. You're all excited. You share your idea with someone near and dear to you and you hear, "Oh, that will never work," or "I knew someone who tried that once and it was a complete disaster."

People are often ready to rain on others' parades, especially those they love the most. I don't know if it stems from a desire to protect from failure or just a projection of their own fears, but people often tamp out others' enthusiasm and think it's a favor.

Recently I've taken a different approach. When someone comes to me with a new idea, I don't rain on their parade. I throw sunshine on it. I look for the good in their idea and how it can help people. I encourage them to pursue it, knowing that they're likely to grow from the experience regardless of the outcome. After all, it's often through mistakes and failures that we learn the most.

Consider this - a system of support is a major determinant of success for people trying to make a major change like lose weight or start their own business. Success is a social activity. While you think you might be protecting someone by pointing out the things that could go wrong with their endeavor, you are probably overlooking all the things that could go wrong if they fail to make a necessary change.

The next time someone approaches you with the beginnings of an idea, notice what is right about their idea and if it isn't dangerous, immoral or illegal, encourage them to give it a go. You never know where their idea could lead. Throw some sunshine around and see what happens.

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com

© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

10 Ways to Promote Your Facebook Page

2011-04-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Is your business using a Facebook Fan page? With over 300 million active users, many companies have found fan pages vital to their marketing efforts. But how to get your fan page going? Here are some simple suggestions.

1. Create your own URL - the URLs for Facebook pages often are long and ugly. Register a separate domain name for your page and forward it to your Facebook page. If you already have a website you can use a subdomain, like yourwebsite.facebookfanpage.com.

2. Create an incentive to join. Give people a reason to become a fan. Offer a discount to an upcoming event, or make special announcements to your page before you do it elsewhere. Bribe your list with something they want. Run a monthly or weekly prize drawing just for your fans where you draw a fan's name at random for a special prize, ideally connected with your product or service.

3. Create content just for Fans - Offer stuff they can't get anywhere else such as videos, tips, special gifts, coupons and discussion threads.

4. Talk about your page on Twitter - Not just "check out my Facebook Fan page" but something more enticing like, "This video from our costume/anniversary party is going to crack you up," or "Last day to join our FB fan page and receive a free ebook."

5. Promote regular contests - Have fans upload videos and give a prize for the best one. Or let other fans vote. Engage fans with simple things they can do to win. Celebrity Chef Hubert Keller asks trivia questions in exchange for dinner for two or passes to a special event.

6. Acknowledge fans - This is a big one. Please no one tell me they can't get fans to participate when they've never even welcomed fans who join their page. That's like saying you're lonely when you haven't invited anyone over for dinner in six months. When a new fan joins your group or writes on your page wall, respond by writing back on their profile wall. This help create visibility for you and them. Click "like" on their posts. Also, look for your fans on Twitter and send them an @ message. Remind them there are actual people behind your brand and you're interested in them.

7. Provide a place for interaction - Start a thread on your discussion board that allows your fans to promote and/or network with one another. For example, invite your fans to submit their own and their favorite blogs. Ask them what part of your common industry they find the most challenging. Ask their tips. The fact that they're your fans means they already have something in common with other fans.

8. Send email broadcasts - Send an email blast to your regular opt-in list inviting them to join your new Fan Club. Offer an incentive to do so. Show them what's in it for them. Also include an invitation to join your club on your email signature line.

9. Keep your page fresh - Don't neglect it. Set up a regular time in your calendar to focus on your Facebook page. Don't forget the viral nature of Facebook. When someone interacts on your page it may appear on that person's Facebook feed, promoting your page to their friends.

10. Put a button on your website - Grab a button and flaunt it on your website, your blog, your YouTube channel, your ezine. A button is a graphic link that goes directly to your Facebook page. Once people click on it they're on your page exploring and hopefully connecting. With these tips your Facebook fan page should be off and running in no time.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

The F Word

2011-02-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

No, not that one. I’m talking about a different “f-word” – failure. Our culture shies away from the failure label. Some folks even refuse to use it, preferring euphemisms like “challenge” or “issue.” There’s something even more powerful than pretending failure doesn’t exist. That is embracing it as evidence of growth and a crucial pathway to success.

After all, failure and success are two sides of the same coin. You often must persevere past setbacks before you reach your goal. Most high achievers will tell you they’ve failed plenty of times. What set them apart is they didn’t let it stop them.

To take the sting out of this f-word, try looking at it head on – “That approach was a failure.” “I failed at producing that result using that method.” Big deal. Now you know something you didn’t know before – namely one approach that doesn’t work.

There’s a story that when a reporter asked Thomas Edison how it felt to fail 10,000 times in trying to invent the light bulb, he replied, “I have successfully found 10,000 ways it will not work.” But the question gave him a light bulb moment. He realized that to succeed he was going to need to fail faster, so he hired assistants and got busy attempting even more approaches until he finally hit on the one the did the trick.

Maybe it’s time to reframe failure. Instead of seeing it as a painful and embarrassing calamity, view it as an inevitable part of the success process and even cause for celebration. Failure means you put something out there. You tried, you learned and you probably got further than 80% of others. That’s nothing to be ashamed of. You might even set a goal to fail even bigger and faster, knowing that bigger success awaits you on the other side.

© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com

Big Rocks Revisited

2011-02-20T12:41:00.000-08:00

Have you heard that story about the teacher who showed his students how to get a sizable amount of big rocks, little rocks, sand and water into a jar, as long as they put the big rocks in first? The analogy was that the big rocks are your most important relationships and they deserve your first consideration.

With the pace of life today and the demands of both the online and offline worlds, how many of us can really be certain we're giving our most important relationships priority? Typically we're hounded on the phone, email, mail and social media by people who are either strangers or far from our inner circle. Yet these folks can easily consume a lot of our daily attention.

Social science suggests we can only have around ten close personal relationships at a time. This matches what I learned at a recent conference: on average only 10 people will cry at your funeral. And of those who attend, 50% will look to the weather to decide if they go out to the cemetery afterwards. Can you even identify the top ten relationships in your life right now? Are you guilty of letting people who don't matter matter?

Last year I made it a habit to write down the names of the people who are most key for my happiness and success. Then I took it a step further. I kept that list on my desk and cross referenced it to my monthly calendar. This step can be a shock if you've never done it before. You may find the way you spend your time is totally out of alignment with who is most important to you. If this is the case, seeing things in black and white can help you fix that.

TIP: This quarter, why not identify your top ten relationships and periodically see if your calendar reflects your priorities. And look for ways to make yourself less available to the others. Let some calls go to voicemail. Don't answer every email, just click delete. Take a social media fast every now and then. Trust me, you will miss very little of importance. Put the energy into your big rocks instead and let me know what happens.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Okay I'm On Twitter - Now What?

2011-01-30T10:25:00.000-08:00

The logic of connecting more closely with your target audience has attracted many businesses to Twitter, but once they're there they can be unsure of best practices or what to do next. Here are some tips to help expand your reach in the Twitterverse.

1. Follow more of your followers. I would think at least 40% of your followers are in areas where it makes sense for you to get their updates. Look carefully through your followers and make your selections. If you're worried that your treatstream will get clogged up with stuff you don't care about, make lists by category so you can easily access your favorite tweets.

2. Print out a list of all your clients and prospects, and then use the Find People tab to see if they're on Twitter. It is a good idea to follow all your clients so that you can keep tabs on what's going on with them. Reading their tweets will keep you in the loop and might give you the heads up on new opportunities. If you don't want competitors to access your client lists, set them to Private and no one but you will be able to see them.

3. List yourself on Twitter directories so that people who don't yet know you but are interested in the topics you cover can find you. You can sign up at twellow.com, twibs.com, wefollow.com, whoshouldfollow.com, twubble.com twitterlinkup.com and tweetertags.com.

4. Always be thinking of bringing your website content to your Twitter feed. Many more people will see it on Twitter than just on your website. When you update your blog or website make sure to tweet about it. Sites like twitterfeed.com can automate this process.

5. Post periodic visuals using twitpic.com, to give your visually-minded followers the chance to engage with you in a new way.

6. Get in the habit of regularly following people as you go through your work week - if you read a great book, see if the author is on Twitter and follow him/her. When you get a new client, add them to your lists. Create a system internally so that everyone in the company can do this on a regular basis.

With these tips you should be able to more than double the number of quality followers you have in a short time, which will widen your sphere of influence. If you want to track your progress, I like twittercounter.com. It can show you exactly how you're growing.

© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

Baby Steps

2010-11-14T10:52:00.000-08:00

If you’re going to move forward you can take big leaps, regular steps or baby steps. It’s fun to focus on the big leaps because that seems like the fastest, most direct way to go. I used to think that and was always percolating on what big leaps I could take and then something happened to change my point of view.
It was last year when I decided to stretch myself by entering a beauty pageant. I had never entered a beauty pageant in my life, so I had a lot to learn. One of the areas of my attention was fitness, since there was a swimsuit competition that was 25% of my scores.

For two years, I regularly attended a weightlifting class twice a week. When I decided to enter this pageant I knew I needed to step it up but I wasn’t sure how so I asked my teacher what to do. She gave me the most amazing tip. She said I should use two bars. On the first bar put my usual amount of weight, and on the second bar put that amount plus a little more. Then she advised me to start with the heavier bar and stick with it for as long as possible, switching back to the lighter bar when it got to be too much.

I followed her advice and in a very short amount of time I was able to do the whole class with the heavier bar. Going to that higher weight helped to sculpt my muscles, which combined with watching my diet gave me a defined, strong, physique so that I rocked that swimsuit competition and took home the fitness award.

The coolest part though, was that it all happened not from a Big Leap, like grabbing some huge heavy weight and trying to pump that. That would have just given me injuries and set me back. No, it was the baby step of adding just a bit more weight and then just a bit more after that that did the trick.

The older I get the more I see the incredible power in baby steps and I think it's because they are so sneaky. They're so easy and do-able that it's hard for our minds to get involved and start talking us out of things. Baby steps build on what is already happening in a way that's so subtle we hardly notice. Baby steps are like a cute little toy you want to play with. They're non-threatening and fun, yet the results they can produce are astonishing.

TIP: The next time you’re brainstorming action, start small with questions like, “What baby step can I take to move me closer to my goal today?”, or “What one small thing can I do right now that will be the very best use of my time?” Notice what you come up with, and what results it produces.

© 2010 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com

Smile! You’re On Camera!

2010-09-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

We all know that person who ducks for cover every time a camera comes out. Maybe you even are that person. With the explosion of social media and online communities, it is getting harder and harder to not have a flattering headshot. There just seems to be more and more call for using one for both professional and personal pursuits. To stop hiding behind avatars of flowers or your children, follow these simple tips:

1. Decide that you should have an attractive headshot for no other reason than you deserve it. There’s a reason why makeover shows often culminate in photo shoots. It’s remarkable how seeing yourself reflected can shape your self-image and self-confidence. If you haven’t had a professional photo taken since high school, you might be surprised at how it makes you feel.

2. Tear our pictures of pictures that appeal to you. Maybe it’s the lighting, maybe it’s the makeup. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re outdoors and look happy. Don’t try to figure it out – just hang on to them and keep them in a file. When you’re ready, you and your photographer will use them to help arrange a shoot that is likely to give you the results you want.

3. Pick a photographer whose work you like. To find one, call up some local modeling agencies and ask them who they recommend. Many photographers offer basic packages and clearly spell out how many looks and images you’ll receive for what price. Often a professional makeup artist and hair service is included.

4. Make the most of the shoot. Play music, wear your favorite clothes, bring friends or no one, whatever it takes to make you feel happy and comfortable. Schedule enough time so that you don’t feel rushed. If you’re really stretching outside your comfort zone, schedule a celebration drink with friends afterwards.

5. Use your resulting images widely – Post them on your social media accounts, use them in your marketing and public relations, have them on your website, as avatars in comments you post to blogs and maybe even on your business card. Your headshot is one more way for people to connect with you and feel comfortable with you. Enjoy having one that you’re proud of.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Trade Show Tips and Tricks

2010-09-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Has this ever happened to you? You decide to participate in a trade show so you print a stack of pricey brochures, spend three days shaking hands and afterwards you’re not really sure what you accomplished. Here are some tips I recommend to my clients to make the most of their trade show investments.

1. Have a goal – like any other business tactic, you’ll get better results if you begin with the end in mind. Are you going to the trade show to meet new prospects? To launch a new product? To take a leadership role in your industry? Know what you’re there to do and then set up every aspect your participation to support that.

2. Have a theme – the best show booths convey a message before the visitor even approaches. Assigning a creative theme to your booth can help you come up with great ideas to support your show costumes, promotional giveaways and handout materials. It is also a valuable ice-breaker. For example, if you’re a travel agent and you want to showcase your Caribbean products, play steel drum music, wear Hawaiian shirts and hand out pineapple shaped pens. You’ll get the message across.

3. Train your staff – Make sure everyone knows what they’re there to do and can talk knowledgably about your company, product and service.

4. Take advantage of the pre- and post- show windows – It doesn’t cost much to send out a mailer with a special offer inviting people to your booth before the show. Contacting people before and after adds only a small amount to your overall costs, but can deliver a big impact.

5. Quickly identify serious prospects vs. “lookie loo’s” – Trade shows are dynamic environments and the fact is you won’t have time to have in-depth conversations with everyone. Use some questions that help you sort out where to focus your time, and know how to send folks who are just looking on their way feeling good.

6. Follow up with your leads – I know this one seems obvious but you would be shocked at how many companies fail to follow up at all with the potential clients they met.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

The Top 7 Marketing Mistakes New Consultants Make

2010-08-01T10:24:00.001-07:00

Becoming self-employed can be liberating, exhilarating, frustrating and terrifying. Often all at the same time. Most entrepreneurs I meet know they need to be doing marketing. They just often lack a clear sense of what marketing is, or they have no idea where to start. Here are the seven most common mistakes I see new business owners making with their marketing (and how to fix them):

1. They don’t do any – New consultants tend to focus their attention on the skill they offer their clients. Usually they are very talented at that skill, they’re just not talented at talking with people about it, or explaining how it will help others. If you aren’t doing any marketing don’t be surprised if the world does not beat a path to your door. People won’t know you’re out there if they never hear about you.
2. They market inconsistently – Although it’s better than not doing any, marketing in a hit-or-miss manner is not a recipe for success. Massive brands like Coke and McDonalds didn’t get that way by approaching their marketing as an afterthought. Without consistent effort it is difficult to stay top-of-mind.
3. They have no plan – It takes a plan to identify the best opportunities and timing to reach your ideal customer. Drafting an annual marketing plan forces you to identify your goals, target audience, geographic market, key messages and the tactics you will use to spread the word. Don’t skip this step.
4. They fail to delegate it – As a business owner you wear many hats but it doesn’t mean you have to do it all yourself. There are lots of administrative assistants, virtual assistants and interns who can take many of the basic tasks of marketing off your plate, freeing you to focus on serving customers and selling.
5. They fail to fund it – While some tactics like social media require only time and no money, other marketing initiatives do require funds. Take a look at your expected revenues and determine an appropriate amount to invest. By seeing your budget as a whole you can better invest those dollars wisely.
6. They see it as an expense and not an investment – When done correctly, marketing is an investment, not an expense. It’s not like your rent which flows out every month never to be seen again. The dollars you spend finding the right people and letting them know about you should flow back to you in the form of new business.
7. They expect immediate results – Marketing is both an art and a science. There is no one silver bullet that will completely provide you with all the business you could ever want. It takes time for your target customer to feel ready to buy, so commit to a long-term view to get the best results in marketing your consulting business.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

7 Most Powerful Sales Questions

2010-08-01T10:03:00.001-07:00

Do you know the difference between a crocodile salesperson and an elephant salesperson? The crocodile salesperson is all mouth, no ears. The elephant sales person is all ears, little mouth.

If you spend all your time talking, you miss the chance to hear what your prospect is thinking and wanting, which is a surefire way to miss making the sale. Recently Jessika Ferm of J.Ferm, LLC and I came up with our top seven questions that can best draw out what is motivating your prospects to buy.

1. What are your goals? –If you don’t know what they’re trying to accomplish, how can you know if you can help them? Don’t assume you know what is motivating your prospect right now. Let them tell you. You might be completely surprised by the real reasons.

2. If you reach your goals by using our product/service how would your life/business be different? – Let the prospect identify the benefits that matter most. This question also help you determine if you can realistically help.

3. What is one of your most important challenges right now? – Pain
problems are bigger motivators than gain problems. It would be nice to upgrade the kitchen sink, but it’s more likely to happen when it’s sprung a leak. Find out what pain problems are motivating your prospect.

4. How long has this been a problem? – It’s helpful to understand how big of a pain the problem is.

5. What have you done so far? – Knowing what has and hasn’t worked may help shape your approach toward a solution.

6. Why is it important to you to act on it right now? – Sometimes people are motivated, sometimes they’re not. As a salesperson, it is extremely helpful for you to know which of your prospects is ready to buy. If it isn’t the right time and they’re not motivated, the best thing might be to work out a plan to keep in touch, rather than try to force things.

7. What is the cost of things remaining the same? – We all tend to focus on the cost of things, but doing nothing also has a cost. This question is a good reminder of that.

Remember, don’t just ask the question, really listen to the answer. As an action step, try picking something from the list above and using it with your next prospect. Notice what happens.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

New Video

2010-07-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

This quick video shares a habit that is key to success.

Master This Habit To Soar

2010-06-06T10:32:00.001-07:00

I once read a story about a boy who received a very expensive art kit from his grandparents for his birthday. He loved art so he saved the kit for when he felt like he was a better artist. Finally one day he went to get the kit and couldn’t find it. He asked his mother if she’d seen it and she said, “Oh, you never used that so I figured you didn’t want it and gave it away.”

The universe works a lot like that boy’s mother. If you receive amazing gifts and then ignore them, it figures you didn’t want that and doesn’t bother sending you more. That’s why a key habit to master in life is celebration. Regularly celebrating the good in your life is an incredibly powerful way to increase the amount of good in your life. Why?

1. It forces you to notice the good. How many times have you been halfway through a meal before you even begin to slow down and taste it? To experience wonderful things you have to involve your consciousness.
2. It bonds you to those closest to you. Recent research indicated the happiest couples were those who responded positively to their partner’s success. That one factor was the strongest predictor of current and future satisfaction in the relationship. Sharing your wins allows your relationships to grow closer.
3. It shows you what you want more of. We Americans are so into keeping up with the Joneses that sometimes we aren’t sure of what it is we want most. By noticing what gets you the most excited and really lights you up, you’ll be better able to recognize the handful of things that bring you the most happiness, which will allow you and others to guide more of it your way.
4. It prevents burn-out. Life quickly becomes a joyless hamster wheel if you finish one big win and immediately turn to the next challenge with no acknowledgement or break. Taking a moment to realize what you’ve done is a major way to start the next project with fresh, positive energy.

The next time you land a big account, get a new job, receive an award or even just make a really difficult phone call, acknowledge yourself, share the news and find a way to celebrate. Your future will thank you.

© 2010 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Help! There’s a Reporter on the Line!

2010-05-09T13:05:00.001-07:00

Business owners and professionals can feel a stab of fear when the media comes calling. “Will they make me look like an idiot?” “Will they misquote me?” “What if I say something really stupid?” These are common thoughts before answering a media request.

As a PR person who trains clients on how to gracefully and powerfully interact with the media, here are some tips on how to make the most of the opportunity media attention provides.

1. Take a deep breath. Recognize that fearful thoughts are completely normal when stepping into uncharted territory. The media would not be calling you if they didn’t think you had something of interest to share.

2. Organize your thoughts. Before calling the reporter back, take a moment to think about what your goals are for the conversation. Do you have a main point you want to get across? You should.

3. Keep it simple. Today’s media coverage is concise and snappy. Make your remarks succinct and memorable. If there are areas where you feel vague, practice until you can sharply clarify your message.

4. It’s okay to say “I don’t know.” No one knows everything. If you are asked a question you don’t have the answer to, simply say so without undue apology. Offer to track down the information and forward it by email.

5. It’s okay to not talk about everything. While transparency can be a powerful tool in enhancing a corporate reputation, it is not always possible or appropriate. If you’re asked something you’re not able to talk about, simply tell the reporter by saying something like, “Our policy is not to release our sales figures,” or “I’m not able to disclose that, however I can tell you….”

With these tips, your media interview will help you and your company to truly shine in the spotlight.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

5 Great Ways to Create Bad PR Outcomes

2010-05-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

“Failure is not the only punishment for laziness. There is also the success of others.”
--Jules Renard

I’ve been working in PR for over 15 years, so you can bet I’ve got some expert thoughts in how to make the absolute worst PR decisions possible. Below are my top 5 ways to ensure the worst PR outcomes.

1. Be inconsistent in your messages. Sure, big successful companies come up with a clear platform of messages around their product that they use over and over again, but that’s so boring. Rework your key messages frequently and make sure they change radically. Use lots of industry lingo too, to make your messages obscure. People should have to work to be able to understand who you are and what you stand for. Don’t make it so easy on them.

2. Hire a professional PR firm but don’t listen to them. It’s true, you weren’t getting great results on your own, which is why you hired the professionals in the first place. But once they start getting results, (or even before), decide that you know better and over-rule their recommendations.

3. Only reach out to the media when you want something. Don’t bother to familiarize yourself with media outlets. They won’t notice. And take your time responding to media requests. They overstate the importance of deadlines anyway. Operate your media relations on a sporadic basis, and only when it suits you. Keep your focus on how mighty and important you are.

4. Don’t work from an annual plan. Shoot from the hip. Planning is too fussy and besides things are always changing anyway. It’s more fun to make decisions about what people think about your company on the fly.

5. Don’t respond to your PR firm in a timely manner but still expect them to produce quality deliverables on time. They can pick up your brainwaves. After all, telepathy is a valid means of communications in many movies.

I suppose that by now you’ve noticed that my tongue is firmly in my cheek for this list, but I truly have seen people implement these tactics and still expect great results. Don’t let that be you.

Should You Be Famous? How Editorial Calendars Can Help

2010-04-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

“It is just the little touches after the average man would quit that make the master’s fame.”
--Orison Swett Marden

Those of you who would welcome media coverage of your company but are not sure how to get started, let me give you a great tip: editorial calendars.

What's an editorial calendar? Simply a written plan of topics a media outlet will be covering in a given year. Many of the publications you read most often have editorial calendars they work from, as it gives them a structure to plan their content.

What can this mean for you? Well, if you can get your hands on a media outlet's editorial calendar, you can scan it to see where a story that mentions your company would best fit. So if you manufacture silk, you'd be a good candidate for planned coverage under manufacturing companies, home décor or maybe a fashion feature.

The media is generally more receptive to story ideas that fill their needs. If you can call and say, "I've got an idea for your June issue on fashion about special silks being manufactured here in Pittsburgh, Kansas," you will stand a better chance of capturing their interest than if you called and said “Hi I run a silk manufacturing firm here in town and think you should do a feature story on my company.” Remember the old adage, WIIFM, or “what’s in it for me?” Editorial calendars give you a shortcut to exactly what a media outlet is looking for, so that you can help provide it.

Many publications post their editorial calendars online. If you don't see it there, call and ask if they can email or mail it to you. Look for places where an upcoming topic matches your product or service and make your pitch.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Conditions Aren’t Perfect. Market Anyway.

2010-04-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

“In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.”
--Miyamoto Musashi

You can hear it every time you turn on the television. You can feel it emanating from those you work with. Perhaps it even keeps you up at night: fear. Fear of our uncertain economy, of loss, of what the future holds. Because we’re going through a state of flux right now, many people have adopted a siege mentality, hunkered down in a metaphorical bunker, waiting for the challenging times to pass by.

While that approach seems safe, it really isn’t and here’s why: the siege mentality is ruled by fear, which leads to indecision, which leads to inaction. Inaction is the kiss of death for any company’s growth and success.

Now is the time to invest strategically in those things that offer the greatest potential return for your business, your skills and your life. Eventually the economy will pick up and when it does, the ones who have been continuing to turn the flywheel of marketing will be in the best position to ride the wave.

The truth is, conditions are never completely perfect. I used to think I had to have a complete strategic plan before undertaking even small marketing initiatives for my business, and while strategic planning is important, so is action. Now I understand the importance of taking consistent action during good and bad times.

• TIP: Notice what causes your fear to increase and then take steps to decrease or eliminate those things. Consider new habits, like turning off toxic, sensationalistic television news shows and getting your news from the Internet or avoiding friends who share “doom and gloom” stories and spending more time with optimistic people. Brainstorm small, inexpensive marketing tasks that can keep your flywheel turning.

©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Barbara Wayman, APR, helps companies identify and deliver their messages to the right people. She is president of BlueTree Media, LLC, based in Dublin, Ohio. To learn more about these concepts, contact us at (614) 766-6878 or Barbara@bluetreemedia.com.

Feel free to forward this newsletter but please be sure to keep our contact information.

Twitter Followers

2010-04-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

PR expert Barbara Wayman shares her top tips to help get you more Twitter followers.

Your Thank You Chain

2010-04-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

“Silent gratitude isn’t very much use to anyone.”
--Gertrude Stein

It isn’t often I come across a completely novel and unique business tip that’s both powerful and simple. It happened recently when I was reading Million Dollar Networking by Andrea Nirenberg. Andrea is a master networker who came up with the thank you chain. It sounds like a fun piece of jewelry, but it represents all the people who play a role in making success possible.

Think about it – sometimes you meet someone at a networking or professional event and they become a client, vendor or whatever it is you’re looking for. But perhaps more often that person introduces you to another who may connect you to yet another before you find what you need. Each of these individuals would then become links in your chain.

Wouldn’t you be delighted to receive a handwritten note in the mail letting you know that two people you introduced at a party are now happily working together and that you’re the one who made it possible? It would make you feel great, right? Add power to your referral network by finding out how new clients heard of you and be sure to acknowledge each one. Success usually involves at least a small group, if not a crowd.

• TIP: When you win new business or solve a major problem, don’t just thank the most obvious contributor. Look closely for others who may have played a role and be sure to thank each link in the chain.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Networking Power Tips

2010-04-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Why Be On Facebook For Business?

2010-04-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

“I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there.”
--Richard Feynman

It’s the biggest social media network in the world and the second biggest website on the Internet. Over 200 million people are using Facebook regularly, which naturally leads business people to wonder if developing a presence there makes sense. The answer is probably yes.

When it comes to the online world, having a website used to be enough. You could post content to your website and drive people there and consider that a successful program. Today things have changed. You still need visitors to your website, but as more and more people spend big chunks of their online time on social media sites like Facebook, you really need to have visibility there as well. The reason is that there are only 24 hours in a day. If people are spending 30% of their online time on social networking sites, they may no longer have the time or inclination to visit your website.

I think of it as the Old West, back in the days when the first saloons were being built. You could stay on your homestead and be afraid to go down and sit in the saloon, but if you did that, you’d miss out on all the conversation and relationships you could taking place there. It’s no different with Facebook. People are becoming fans of their favorite companies and products on Facebook. They are posting comments and photos of their experiences with brands.

You need to have your content on your own website but you also must take it to the places people are gathering. If you don’t, you won’t be part of conversations that are taking place about your industry, company, product and service. Simply put, chances are your prospects and customers are on Facebook. That’s why you should be too.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

What To Post On Twitter

2010-03-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes business users are at a loss as to what to post to their Twitter pages. Twitter used to prompt you with the question, “What are you doing?”, but that led to people posting such statements as, “I am eating a grilled cheese sandwich.” Hardly riveting information.

Recently Twitter switched its prompt question to “What’s happening?” perhaps in an attempt to guide users to broader posts. Below are my guidelines to the four main topic areas I recommend to my business clients who use Twitter.

1. Quotes and inspiring thoughts – Because of its limit to 140 characters, Twitter is the perfect place to post memes, or short ideas that transmit easily from one person to another. It can be a good practice to boil an idea down to its essence, and share the main point without any fluff.

2. Retweets and links to helpful resources – One of Twitter’s main applications is as a resource for all sorts of useful information you would not come across any other way. When you retweet other users’ posts, you validate them and help pass along good information. When people retweet your posts it showcases you to all of their followers, which in turn attracts more people to follow you. If you do nothing else but post relevant, useful information to your Twitter page you will be adding value to Twitter, your followers and your brand as well.

3. Messages to other users – Twitter is a social media, and as such it tends to attract people who are interested and open to other people. Answering questions, posting direct comments and interacting with other users is a wonderful way to build relationships and get the most out of Twitter.

4. Self-promotion and news about what you’re doing – If you’re using Twitter for business reasons, you definitely should be letting people know more about you. Just make sure it isn’t more than around 20% of your content. Too much is a turn-off because Twitter is not an advertising vehicle, it’s a community. Be on the lookout for third-party information that supports your brand – so instead of you posting, “Hey we are a great company,” you can post a link to an online testimonial one of your customers provided, letting him or her tell everyone how great you are.

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Your Business Cards – Top 10 Blunders

2010-02-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

They’re the most important marketing tools for any professional, yet many people continue to miss the boat when it comes to getting the most out of them. Business cards are often a company’s number one means of contact, follow-up and advertising, but they won’t work well if you are making any of these top errors with them. Run down this checklist and see if any of these apply to you.

Top 10 Business Card Blunders

1. Flimsy paper – If you can bend your card into a curving s-shape the paper stock is too thin. Business cards need to hold up well. They can’t do that if the stock is like a piece of copy paper. Invest in a more substantial card stock to be taken seriously. If your product or service is high-end or in a luxury niche, this advice goes double.

2. Lack of design or poor design – Just because you can do it yourself doesn’t mean you should when it comes to the look of your card. This small piece of paper is going to represent your business 24/7 with every prospect and client you ever have. Their impression will be based on how the card looks. Even if you have to work with a recent graphic design graduate, investing in quality design is well worth it.

3. Too small type – Does the recipient need to take out their bifocals to read the words on your card? If you’re any smaller than 8 point font you’re hurting people’s eyes. Stop it.

4. No social media listed, or critical info missing – It’s 2010, so if you’re using Twitter or LinkedIn for business, get that on your card. Don’t make people hunt to connect with you online. If you don’t have room on the front of your card, put this information on the back. Nowadays you are likely to have more interaction with people via your computer than in person, so make it easy on everybody. Also, have your snail mail full address somewhere on the card too. It is annoying to have to hunt that down when someone wants to send you a press clipping or a check.

5. Scissor edges – Scissor edges on business cards scream “amateur.” They’re unprofessional and make it seem like you don’t take your business seriously. If you have business cards with scissor edges, throw them away. Or at least clean up the edges with a paper cutter.

6. Obvious home printing – Obvious home printing sends the message that quality is something that doesn’t matter to you, which would make me think twice about doing business with you.

7. Vague about what you do – Does your card say you’re the Vice President of Red Run Corp? That’s great, but it doesn’t give the slightest clue what that even means. Make sure your card lets people know what industry you’re in and how your firm is different.

8. One card for multiple businesses – If you’re involved in multiple businesses have a separate card for each. There isn’t space on a business card to promote two businesses effectively. Multi-use single cards make you seem like you lack focus.

9. Inaccurate or crossed out information – If your cards are out of date, reprint them. Do not take out a pen and handwrite in new information. That is like sending your best sales rep out into the field with laryngitis.

10. Cheap – says “Vistaprint” on the back – If you’re not willing to invest $9.95 to have your card not promote Vistaprint, then why should I be willing to invest in your product or service? If spending a few hundred dollars on quality business cards that you are proud to hand out to others is not possible, then you might want to rethink your business idea.

Great business cards are the foundation of professional success. When you hand your card to people, listen to what they say. If it’s not “Wow, what a great card,” know you have room for improvement.

© 2010 BlueTree Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

Why You Need a Marketing Plan for 2010

2010-01-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

"Good plans shape good decisions."
--Lester R. Bittel

By now I'm sure you've noticed what an amazing habit planning is. It's hard to accomplish things when we aren't exactly sure what we're doing or what success is going to look like. We are all much faster and efficient at doing tasks when we've set aside some time at the outset to think about the exact outcome we want.

Even if you've never worked with a marketing or PR plan, or even if you've never seen one, the same principle applies. Taking some time at the outset to decide what your business goals will be this year and how marketing can help you achieve them can be a very wise investment in your success.

In fact, after over 15 years of doing marketing work I'd say the number one mistake I see business people making with their marketing is failing to have a plan of any kind. I see people putting attention on their sales, on their team, on their facilities and on their customers, but not envisioning their marketing as an engine that drives it all. As a result they constantly make important decisions on the fly. This can be a huge time waster because as you have probably experienced, business owners receive a lot of unsolicited phone calls and emails related to marketing and advertising.

If you have no plan and an advertising representative calls you with an opportunity, you have no way to judge whether this opportunity will serve your business. Then tomorrow another rep calls with a different opportunity. Which one should you choose? The absence of a plan can create a lot of busy work and distraction in your day when really, if you were to sit down and write up even a basic description of your target customer, you'd be easily able to hold that up to the demographics of each opportunity and see right away if it is a fit for you.

That's why I always recommend my clients start with a strategic plan. It will save you time, money and effort as well as get you to your goal more seamlessly and more enjoyably.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

What Can Businesses Do on Facebook?

2009-11-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

“Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand.”
--Putt’s Law

It’s here: the new age of social media. By now you probably know that you can use Facebook to reconnect with old friends from high school, post photos and catch up on what your friends are doing, but did you know there are a lot of business goals you can accomplish on Facebook as well?

Here are my top four things businesses can do on Facebook:

1. Prospect for clients – People can be searched and segmented by narrow topic areas on social media, making it efficient to prospect for clients who may already have an interest in your product or service. Because in social media people opt in to join your group or become a fan of your company, you also have the benefit of a more motivated, interested audience than you might have in the offline world.

2. Listen to what people are saying/thinking about your company, industry and brand – You can use that information to develop new products and services that will appeal to your customers or to refine the products and services you currently have.

3. Develop better customer relations – By engaging more frequently with your customers in a way they enjoy and prefer, you strengthen the bonds between you.

4. Build your credibility and expertise – By being visible and active on social media, you increase the likelihood that when people think of your industry they think of you first.

Notice one thing I didn’t say was SELL, SELL, SELL. Social media has the potential to reach a huge potential market, but that doesn’t mean you immediately should sell to everyone in your network. That can be a real turn off and lead to people disconnecting from you online because it is so self-serving.

It’s like if you went to a party or networking event and you met some new people. You wouldn’t immediately whip out your product and ask them to buy it, right? Instead you might chat with them to get a better idea of their areas of interest and their needs, and if there seemed to be an overlap with what you were offering, you might give them your card and suggest they visit your company. It’s the same thing online. You need to build the relationships before people want to buy from you.

Facebook is great for building the know, like and trust factor that is so important for long-term success. Because since social media is so new there are people out there pushing their products in a very aggressive way, and it might make you think that’s an appropriate strategy. It’s not.

That doesn’t mean social media won’t help you sell your services, you just need to think of it with a longer timeline and in a more subtle way, compared to, “Okay I’ve set up my Facebook page so now I expect to see a 20% boost in sales this month.”

Facebook can be an important marketing tool for businesses when it is used effectively with reasonable goals.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

The Smartest Thing I Did Last Year

2009-11-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

“The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.” --John Ruskin

The rugged individualist, bravely doing it all by himself – it’s a familiar theme from Hollywood but not the best way to run a business. The smartest thing I did last year was make a commitment to get help and support in many different forms.

In addition to a crack team of web designers and programmers, a graphic artist, accountant, IT specialist, lawyer, assistant and virtual assistant, Team BlueTree also includes mentors and a board of advisors. You may be surprised to learn that some of my advisors I have never met. Some are not even living.

This is an idea I picked up from self-help author Napoleon Hill. He created an imaginary board of personal advisors made from great figures of history. He chose people like Napoleon, Lincoln, Jesus and Alexander the Great and held imaginary conversations with them whenever he had an important decision to make. Because he had studied their lives, he gained new viewpoints into the insights, observations and advice his advisors would give.

This is habit that anyone can do – identify and learn from the best in your industry, your hobby, in politics, culture or the arts. My imaginary board of advisors includes many successful women entrepreneurs who have blazed a trail for me to follow. Just because I don’t happen to personally know them doesn’t stop me from following in their footsteps and being inspired by them every day.

• TIP: Make a list of people you especially admire. The next time you have a decision to make or you’re just ruminating on some initial thoughts, ask yourself, what would so-and-so say about this situation? Note what new insights and observations come to your mind.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Two Reasons To Be On Twitter

2009-10-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

By now I'm sure you're hearing about Twitter every time you turn around. My second "Two For Tuesday" video shares my top two reasons why you might want to participate in this new social media trend.

Mission (Not Impossible) Statements

2009-10-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'm working on mission statements for a client today and it has me thinking about how we summarize our company's mission. Can you state why your company exists in just one sentence? The best mission statements are short, clear and powerful. Nelson Mandela's is "End Apartheid." Abraham Lincoln's was "Preserve the Union." A great mission statement has a certain energy to it - it draws you in and makes you almost want to be a part of what the company is trying to do. I can say I sit at a desk and write about PR, but that doesn't exactly fire anyone up. But if I focus on the outcome of what I do, I might say something like "my mission is to empower entrepreneurs to share their companies' stories with power and grace." Better.

If your mission statement is too lengthy to be memorable, or if you don't have a mission statement, consider scheduling some time to play around with it. When you hit the right combination of words that makes you feel excited, you're on to something.

Oprah Called

2009-09-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

“What I know for sure is what you give comes back to you.”
--Oprah Winfrey

I guess it’s inevitable when working in PR to find yourself in a room with clients who ask you to get them or their products on Oprah. Nationally, 7.4 million people watch Oprah every day. Her support of a product, service or even political candidate can translate into huge results. Naturally people are interested in getting onto that set, sitting beside Oprah on that leather couch, and basking in her seemingly Midas touch.

Now, in addition to getting on Oprah, you could also win the lottery, take a rocket to the moon and lose 30 pounds in 30 days without doing a lick of exercise. I’m not saying these things can’t happen. I’m just saying they are extreme long shots. Oprah’s staff does not sit and wait for people to call them and pitch story ideas. They actively search for hot trends or ideas and then research the top findings that fit their areas of interest.

The energy entrepreneurs hold captive in the vague goal of “get on Oprah” can detract them from doing things that can help them build their brand awareness in a more practical way, such as “send out at least six newsworthy press releases a year,” “invite my local business editor to lunch,” or “review a year’s worth of my industry trade journals and come up with at least three story ideas to suggest to them that relate to my product or service.”

If you want to get on Oprah, perhaps the best way to go about it is to focus on becoming so spectacular in your niche, and do something that impacts people so deeply or helps their lives so much that you become a magnet for not only Oprah, but many national media outlets. In the meantime, consider other potential outlets you may be overlooking, that could be a perfect way to tell your unique story.

Business Card Tips

2009-08-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

To increase the value for my readers (and now viewers), I am creating a "Two for Tuesday" marketing/PR program. This will be a 2 minute video that will give concise and easily executable tips to impact your business. My first in this series is Two Tips for Better Business Cards:

More Advanced Twitter Tips and Tools

2009-07-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

So in my last post I told you how you can upload multiple Twitter posts at one time using Tweetlater.com and how you can use Tweetdeck to keep track of what people are tweeting about you or about specific topics that interest you.

Well, now I've learned and applied some additional Twitter tools for you to know about.

One is Your Twitter Karma at http://dossy.org/twitter/karma. It doesn't load well in Internet Explorer, so be sure to use a different browser, like Firefox for example. What it does it allow you to see all your Twitter followers and see who you are following and who is following you back by category. Twitter itself makes you look up each individual person, which is a big pain once you have hundreds of followers. But with Your Twitter Karma you can sort in bulk. It's a great tool to help you quickly decide who you want to continue to follow.

Grader is another really interesting Twitter application. You'll find it at http://twitter.grader.com. Put in your user name and grader will give you a grade at how well you're using Twitter. That's fun to know, but what is really cool about Grader is it will show you who has the highest grades by subject. So if you're interested in photography, input "photography" and Grader's top 100 top photography users will pop up. Now you can choose to follow some of those folks to see what's considered state-of-the-art in that subject area. Maybe you'll even learn of some cool new photography experts you didn't know.

Lastly, once you've been on Twitter a while you'll want to think about customizing your background wallpaper. You can do it in Photoshop if you're a graphic arts whiz, or you can go to http://www.twitbacks.com. Twitter backgrounds must be an image, so you cannot load active clickable links, but you can still post your company's sales messages, logos, photos or other contact information. I just had a custom twitter background done by @isotopestudios.com and I must say I'm delighted with how it turned out. You can see it at @barbarawayman.

Happy Tweeting everyone!

5 Tips To Name That Firm

2009-07-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

"Build your reputation by helping other people build theirs."
--Anthony J. D'Angelo

If you were going to run a marathon, you wouldn't do it with a knapsack full of rocks on your back, right? Yet many businesses are saddled with names that are misleading, out of date, hard to pronounce or just plain bad. That makes their marketing extra difficult. If you've decided that a new name is needed for your business, here are five tips to help you find a great one.

1. Start with what's unique - Begin by making a list of the main traits you want to get across to people about your firm. Is it quality, edginess, experience, creativity? Think about what it is about you that your customers most value. When you list a range or words and word combinations, you'll want to gravitate toward those that reflect that particular quality.

2. Narrow down with a story - A story is a powerful way to help people connect your name to what you do. For example, when people ask me why my company is named Bluetree Media, I explain it's because a lot of what I do is help my clients stand out and get noticed, like a single blue tree in a forest of green. I can literally see the light bulb appear in their eyes when I say this. Think about what story can help tie the names you've chosen to your firm's unique quality.

3. Get reactions - Test out your top few names with a variety of audiences to see what they think. Do people make associations that tie back to your core brand identity? Do they find the name easy to say and spell? Listen for themes that crop up. If the themes connect to your desired positioning, you may have found a winner.

4. Check URL availability - A firm without an online presence is a firm with no presence these days. Nabbing a website that ends in dot com is critical to being perceived as legitimate. Visit webhosting services (I like www.GoDaddy.com) to see which of the names on your list are available for purchase.

5. Lock up all the URLs - Once you've selected your final name, don't just buy the .com URL, make sure you lock up .net, .org, .biz and .edu. Domain names usually cost less than $15 a year, and can help make sure everyone who is looking for you online can easily find you, not someone else.

© 2009 BlueTree Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Twitter Tools to Save You Time

2009-06-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

Twittering, tweeting, tweeple....we're at the start of a whole new dictionary that starts with "tw"! Some of you may be heavy into Twitter already and others may not even have signed up. I'm a recent adopter myself, but I've learned a few neat tricks that make my Twittering much more user friendly.

* http://www.TweetLater.com is a great resource that allows you to input multiple updates at one time, to post at future times of your choosing. So instead of needing to log on and update all day long, you can just go to TweetLater, post a day's, week's or month's worth of updates, and they'll all go up with no further effort on your part. Now sometimes you'll want to post instant updates, like that you're sitting at a cafe in Paris or something. You can still go to Twitter direct to do that, or, even better go to:

*http://.ping.fm, where you can link up all your social networking sites, so that one post goes up instantly across them all. No more logging into FaceBook, updating a message, then going to Twitter, then to LinkedIn, etc. You can do it all at one time on ping.fm.

*Also in your Twitter arsenal should be http://www.TweekDeck.com. This super handy application loads onto your computer and it will tell you anytime someone is tweeting about you, recommending you or re-tweeting what you post. How cool is that?! And if you click the little magnifying glass at the top of Tweetdeck, you can input the names of other topics you'd like to follow. I my case, I used the little magnifying glass to follow any tweets with the words "public relations." Now they pop up automatically.

Experiment and try some of these timesaving tools to make your time online more productive and fun!

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bethebluetree.com

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Inexpensive Ways To Attract Visitors To Your Website

2009-05-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be great if once we finished all the work of creating a website, people flocked there of their own accord? I wish it worked that way, but alas, we have to get them to visit.

Here are some quick tips on increasing your traffic:

• Make sure your web URL is on every, and I mean EVERY source of information you send out. (Your URL is the address people type to get to your website, like www.cocacola.com.) That includes your business card, email signature, letterhead, footer of your invoices, direct mail materials, brochures, etc. Gather up all the materials you mail, email and send out in other ways and check to see you haven't missed anything.

• When posting comments online, write your website like this: http://www.yourwebsite.com, not just www.yourwebsite.com. When you include the http stuff it makes your URL a link so people can easily just click and visit you, rather than having to retype or cut and paste.

• Don't have a flash website, have an .html one. You can ask your web programmers to see what kind you have. Flash sites have lots of cool graphics and movement but they are notoriously hard for search engines to find. If you have a flash, start thinking about changing it over to .html in future so that people who are searching for your type of product or service can more easily find you.

• Use Google Analytics. It's a fantastic FREE service Google offers that lets you track and measure your site traffic in amazing detail. I would be lost without it. You can get it at http://www.google.com/analytics/. Once you start driving more traffic to your site you'll want to see how you're doing. Google Analytics will tell you.

• Consider authoring articles and posting them to online article aggregators like http://www.amazines.com and http://www.ezinearticles.com. You can draft a piece of around 450 words about your area of expertise and provide a little bio of you and link to your site. It creates more avenues for people to find you.

• Give people a reason to go to your website. Offer something free for them to claim and then put that offer on your business card
and email signature. I created a 5 part e-course on how to make reporters sit up, say "Wow!" and cover your story. What can you offer that makes use of your expertise?

Implement these tips and watch your web traffic climb upwards.

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.

Susan Boyle - Lessons in Authenticity, Timing and Technology

2009-04-20T12:41:00.001-07:00

“What we’re all striving for is authenticity, a spirit-to-spirit connection.”
--Oprah Winfrey

It's official: British singing phenom Susan Boyle's video clip is the most downloaded in a single week in the history of the Internet. She's made fans of Oprah, Jay Leno, Elaine Paige, Simon Cowell, Demi Moore and millions of people who have watched her sing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. With a three minute performance, Susan Boyle rocketed from the depths of obscurity to the heights of fame in a matter of days. What can Susan’s experience teach business owners?

Authenticity -- As a culture we've become so cynical and jaded. Susan seems like the real deal and it is so refreshing. It's a reminder that you don't have to try to make your company appear bigger, faster or better than it really is. You only need to discover what your unique talents are and give them voice.

Timing - I read online that Susan tried out for Britain's Got Talent many times but until this year she never progressed to the final round. Was her voice any different in prior years? Probably not. Perhaps in those years the gatekeepers couldn't see beyond her age or appearance to give her a chance.

Timing plays a huge role in success and persistence pays. If your brand’s story isn't being heard the way you'd like, consider Susan's example to inspire you to keep trying. You never know when the stars align and your story fits a perfect need of the moment. The only guarantee is if you don't try, it will never happen.

Technology - The people have crowned Susan Boyle a winner, not the media. From YouTube to susan-boyle.com, to email, blogging and Twitter, tens of millions of ordinary folks got on the computer and turned this woman into a global superstar almost overnight. It's a great example of the power of the online world. There's no reason why your brand cannot capture people's attention online too, if you're savvy and give them a reason to care. If you haven't made your company's online presence a key factor in your marketing strategy, let Susan Boyle be your wake-up call.

© Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved

Three Secrets of Marketing

2009-04-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

In over 15 years of doing marketing communications work, I’ve picked up quite a few tips on how to best get the job done. From start-ups to Fortune 100 companies, my three marketing secrets make a significant difference.

1. Consistency Is Key

If I had only one piece of marketing advice to offer, this would be it: The secret to effective marketing is consistency, plain and simple. A press release here, an ad buy there, a brochure that looks one way and a website that looks another … these hit-or-miss efforts are doomed to failure and are just a waste of your money.

TIP: Don’t dabble at marketing.

If your budget is limited, invest in a good, solid marketing plan and then consistently execute just one part of it until you can afford to do more. Don’t let it fall down on your list of priorities. If you think marketing can be of value to your company, start doing it, even in a small way. And then don’t stop. You’ll see results.

2. Amplify What Makes You Different

As teenagers we desperately want to blend in with our peers, never imagining we’ll one day embrace the very things we worked so hard to hide. In business, marketing yourself and your brand is much easier if you have memorable qualities that stick in people’s minds.

Don’t be afraid to be distinctive. Barbra Streisand’s strong nose, Warren Buffett’s frugality, Cary Grant’s elegance – these qualities are entirely authentic but hard to duplicate.

TIP: Take a moment to think about your business persona or company. What do you have that others don’t? If you’re not sure, do a quick review of competitor websites or think about comments you’ve received from others. Now how can you amplify those qualities?

3. It’s All About Third-Party Credibility

Okay, now I am going to tell you some gossip.

Did your ears just perk up? Would you have had the same response if I had said, “Now I am going to tell you all about me.” Probably not. What someone else says about you will always carry more weight than what you say about yourself. When thinking about your company’s marketing, look for ways to build your reputation with others.

Reporters, editors, bloggers, customers, business and government leaders are all examples of influential audiences who could be spreading your message. It’s your job to make sure they know and understand what makes you special.

As an illustration, one of my clients, a luxury motor coach modification company, proactively invited the Mayor and City Administrator to come take a plant tour and learn about the company. Later when the firm was ready to expand into a new building and needed help with zoning permits and the like, those key relationships were already forged.

TIP: Take a look at the marketing you’re doing. Are you missing any important audiences? What one thing can you do to reach out to them?

Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at www.bluetreemedia.com/ezine.html

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.

©2009 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.