Did you know that LinkedIn is one of the premier business networking sites? It provides amazing coverage of the professional market and one that you shouldn’t ignore, especially if you are a B to B business (a business where your clients are other businesses.)

LinkedIn is a free social networking site but it does have an option to upgrade to a paid version for more extensive uses and capabilities. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn is geared more for business owners who have the intention of connecting and sharing information with other business owners.

If you haven’t done so yet, please connect with eVision Media here http://ca.linkedin.com/in/evisionmedia and if you haven’t created your LinkedIn profile yet, read further!

Below are some basic tips and strategies to get you started in the world of LinkedIn social media marketing.

Setting up your LinkedIn profile

When joining LinkedIn, you will want to create a profile that includes your accomplishments, experience and areas of interest. You will then want to expand your network by inviting others to connect with you. Through LinkedIn, you can:

- Manage information about yourself and your business, which is publicly available

- Find and be introduced to potential clients, service providers, experts and more

- Be found by others looking for your service or product

- Collaborate with others on best practices and processes

Here is an excellent YouTube video that will walk you through creating your LinkedIn profile:

Tips and Strategies while using LinkedIn

- Be strategic about what you feature and post on your profile so that it meets your business goals.

- Use effective keywords that relate to your business and industry so that those doing searches for your expertise can easily find you.

-Use the “recommendations” feature by recommending others that you know and have worked with and by also asking your clients and associates to post a recommendation for you.

- Be sure to post a profile picture of you and not your logo or product picture. People will connect with a real person far better than a logo or image of your product. It is also against the LinkedIn Terms and Conditions to use anything else other than a personal photo of you.

- To increase your connections, join LinkedIn groups that are either areas of your interest and/or where you know your ideal client is hanging out. For instance, if you are a real estate stager, find real estate agent groups in your local area that you can join and be a part of the conversations. Use these groups to exchange ideas and information. Avoid using them to just promote you and your business. The idea is to develop relationships and share your expertise, not to try and “sell” anything.

- Use the eMail feature to send news and articles to your network. Again, not to sell but to help build your credibility as an expert in your field of expertise. You can also post updates at the top of your profile to let people know what you are doing and to share brief tips, hints and other tidbits of information that they will find useful and informative. Remember this is a professional network so avoid posting what you had for breakfast that morning or showing off photos of your kids’ funny faces – save those for Twitter or your personal Facebook profile.

- Remember to build your contacts when out networking, going to workshops and attending seminars and conferences, etc.

- Have a LinkedIn button on your eSignature, eStationery and website for maximum opportunities and exposure to get lots of connections.

Once you have your personal profile created, it’s then time to create your company profile and start building that up. Stay tuned for the next article on how to do that!

Are you looking for some creative social media marketing ideas for your small business? Do you want to know how your peers are using social media?

Please consider joining Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner) on Tuesday, January 17th, in a live and FREE event called “9 Small Businesses Doing Social Media Right and What You Need to Know.”  See http://bit.ly/socialmediajan17

Michael will show you what smart small businesses are doing right with social media and what you need to know.

By attending this free online event you’ll discover innovative ways your peers are using social media (and leave with tons of ideas).

The free seats are limited to the first 1000 people (and the event takes place in just a few days).  Be sure to go here and secure your seat now before they’re gone: http://bit.ly/socialmediajan17

Hope to see you there!

Kind regards,

Sue

P.S. Remember, this is a free online event and it will be recorded — but you must register in advance by going here now: http://bit.ly/socialmediajan17

Here are 4 product positioning tips to differentiate your business…

Luckily, it’s not all that hard to stand out from the crowd, as long you realize the importance of product positioning. Positioning is the art of matching your marketing message, with the desires, feelings, and beliefs of the particular type of customer that you know you can service better than anybody else. You make yourself “visible” as the kind of business this individual would naturally be attracted to.

Why would I say that it’s not that hard?

Well, you really don’t have to look very far to see that effective product positioning is about as common as caviar at a McDonald’s outlet. Just look in the yellow pages, look on the net, and you’ll soon see what I mean.

It’s more of the same old same old, look at us were #1 for pricing, service & selection nonsense. It’s just meaningless drivel. Anyone can say these things and everyone does, and I ask you this:

Are you guilty of spouting these “buy from us for no apparent reason” platitudes? Don’t feel guilty if you are. Just take these product positioning tips to heart.

What happens when everybody in your industry says the same thing? Customers don’t know how to tell the difference between one product and another, so they make their decision based on price. And everybody loses. The customer doesn’t get the product that best fits their needs. You don’t make nearly as many sales as you could, and those that you do make, are at less margin than you would like.

Listen, if you can just get the principle that I’m about to reveal hammered into your head, you’ll have more business than you can handle, and you won’t worry about having to undercut the competition.

That sounds pretty good doesn’t it?

Here’s the secret. Just take the time to communicate, clearly, specifically, and thoroughly why you‘re different and how that difference makes a difference in your customer’s perception of his or her life. Such a simple concept, but so rare, it can’t help but differentiate you.

You see, people really don’t buy on price at all. They buy on value. If they bought a cheaper product, it’s because you didn’t demonstrate the value of yours. Admittedly, there is a certain percentage of the market that is best served by an inferior low end product, but this segment is much smaller than it appears. More often than not, people cannot differentiate, buy based on price, and live to regret it. This is a crying shame, and were not going to stand for it much longer, are we?

As you absorb this material you will become intimate with the following 4 product positioning principles that will set your business apart.

*** Unique Selling Proposition
Something unique, that you have to offer. Not necessarily entirely unique. You can appear unique by simply packaging your product or service in a unique way. For example, a lawyer, might advertise flat rate incorporation, and attract a lot of customers because the market fears the open ended legal bill. In reality, it is all of the other “back end” services that come about as a result of incorporation that generate incorporation revenues. But who do you think will end up getting more of that lucrative business, the flat rate USP savvy attorney, or Mr. Conventional?

*** Risk Reversal
Differentiate yourself with outrageously bold guarantees that you’re competition don’t have the guts for. Most people are genuinely honest, and if your service is what you say it is, you’ve got nothing to worry about. The increased sales volume will be well worth it.

*** Inordinate Value
Leverage your advertising by offering to let complimentary businesses come along for the ride, in exchange for a free sample of their wares. Then bundle those into your offering. Cut the right deals, and your offer will appear “irresistible”, compared to your competition.

*** Clear, Complete, and Concise Customer Education
Here’s where most advertisers fall down, and you can stand head and shoulders above the crowd. Tell your full story. Don’t make people try to figure out on their own why they should be doing business with you. Spell it out for them.

Spend some time thinking deeply about these product positioning ideas, and how you can use them to your advantage. Your market share is predicated on how well you assimilate them and apply them to the promotion of your business.

I’m excited to share a new Business Momentum Series Telesummit with you!

It’s a virtual event that brings professional women and men together from all over the world, so we can be inspired to give our greatest gifts and make the biggest impact possible in our business lives today.

Listen in and you’ll gain an arsenal of knowledge and advice on a variety of pressing topics to help you sustain, profit and grow your business.

It’s easier to maintain momentum than overcome inertia get the tools you need to easily reach all your business and professional goals.

Sign up for this completely free event now:

http://bit.ly/businessmomentumseries

You’ll learn from 23 amazing highly-sought-after leaders including Marcia Wieder, Rich Schefren, Debra Ponemen, Robert Allen, Sheri McConnell, Joe Polish, Murray Smith, Peggy McColl, Raymond Aaron, Ric Thompson, Fabienne Fredrickson, Mr. Michael Gerber, Wendy Robbins, Shanda Sumpter, Arvee Robinson, Kristen Howe, Kate Buck, Dr. Kammy Haynes, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, Joe Nunziata, Noah St. John and Keith Wellman — all for FREE.

Here’s a sample of just a few of the presentations that will blow you away…

Fulfill your destiny through your dreams when best-selling author of 14 books and former President of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Marcia Wieder, gets on the line.

All you need is ONE great idea to create your own successful home business and New York Times bestselling author Peggy McColl is here to tell you how…

Let “Go Big Coach” Kristen Howe help you get clear, get honest and get moving, one step at a time, toward that life that you thought might only be a dream with simple guidelines for maximum business momentum…

When people are struggling, they tend to believe they have to work harder. Breakthrough specialist Joe Nunziata will explain why that’s not true, how you can attract the right clients to your business and more…

Top-notch copywriter, trained journalist and freelance writer Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero will be there to divulge her new world copywriting secrets for the 21st century that will have your audience clamoring to buy your products and services…

Reclaim hours in your day and open up your calendar to do more of what you love when Internet visionary and serial entrepreneur Ric Thompson shows you how to outsource the right way…

Discover how to say “YES” and become a magnet for success and happiness from Debra Poneman, the same great woman who mentored Janet Attwood, Marci Shimoff and Deepak Chopra.

Listen in as Noah St. John, the inventor of Afformations and author of the bestselling book “The Secret Code of Success,” reveals once and for all how to get rid of the “head trash” that’s keeping you from gaining momentum.

Find out why NOW is the time to start your business being a social media manager with social media maven Kate Buck …

Get all the answers you need to boost your business when internationally-recognized entrepreneur Murray Smith divulges his insights and strategies you can apply in your business so you cannot fail.

And so much more …

The Business Momentum Series is filled with practical suggestions and simple solutions from real-world business situations. If you want to take your business to the next level and spend more time doing what you love, you must attend.

In addition to giving your business a big boost and bringing all your big 2011 dreams to fruition, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn the very important steps to becoming an inspiring leader in your world.

Sign up for this completely free event now:

http://bit.ly/businessmomentumseries

Wishing you all the best,

Sue

PS Remember momentum starts with movement … so get moving!

Sign up for this free series now:
http://bit.ly/businessmomentumseries

This is an article written by Client Attraction expert, Fabienne Fredrickson. So many times I hear lots of “reasons” why a client isn’t moving forward with their dreams and goals and when I read this article from Fabienne, it was a perfect way of articulating what we all can learn on how to get our businesses to the next level.

Enjoy,
Sue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’ve discovered something really interesting in terms of human behavior over the last few years. I’m shocked to notice how often people stop themselves by using excuses for not doing something in their business, and in their lives. The thing is, they’re not even aware of it. Here’s what I mean… People SAY they want something very badly, that they want a change, and theoretically, that they’d do anything to get it.

But when the rubber meets the road, it’s a totally different story. For many, when it’s time to take action, they’re not WILLING to take the steps or do the work that creates the result. And they use excuses about time and money as the trap door, their escape route:

“I can’t do ‘x’ because I don’t have the money right now”
“I can’t do ‘y’ because I’ve already got something planned for that day”

I see it plain as day and I see it happen EVERY day. It’s the “Inner Self-Doubt” that consistently has someone question every single move they make in growing their business or their income.

It’s that same inner self-doubt that creates the excuse that invariably comes up, either having to do with time OR money, or something along the lines of “I’m not sure this is right for MY business.” And what I’m convinced about, because I’ve witnessed it in my own life and then in the lives of hundreds (if not thousands) of my clients, is that this inner self-doubt, questioning everything and not taking serious ACTION when the solution shows up all boil down to one thing and one thing only. And in plain English, it’s called… SELF SABOTAGE.

(By the way, The same thing happens when you decide to do something and then you decide to back out at the last minute. There are people who do this again and again. It’s what I call “waffling” and it’s another form of self-sabotage, something that you use to keep yourself from playing a bigger game in your life.)

In all the years I’ve been working with solopreneurs, I have seen countless people beg for a change in their business, pray to make a lot more money, and yet, when the answer is delivered and it’s right there in front of them (in whatever form it shows up) they use excuses, turn away or question whether it’s right for them.

Realize that THE limitation around getting to the next level in their business is created by your own mindset. Then you can make a change in perspective, stop using excuses and “just go for it”, then the results show up. Here’s the process I’ve witnessed in myself and in my clients recently:

1. They make a firm DECISION (to succeed, buy something, attend something, or whatever)
2. They stop over thinking
3. They quiet the inner critic and the relentless self-doubt
4. They look for different ways of making it happen
5. They take action, IN SPITE OF the “fear”
6. They are then rewarded very handsomely.

Widening your perspective around success starts with a DECISION. Once you make a decision to succeed, it’s time to commit to doing whatever it takes to make it happen. Whatever it takes.

Instead of saying “I can’t afford this”, ask yourself “How *can* I afford this? ” Instead of saying “I’m already busy that day”, you’ll begin to find ways to move things around to make it happen. It’s a SMALL shift in perception, but it is absolutely life-changing when you begin to think that way. Instead of stopping the flow, you begin to search for opportunities, for solutions. You begin to act like a detective, looking for different ways to make it happen.

And that’s when it shows up.

I’ve often thought that, if I can’t get into a house from the front door, then I’ll look for the back door. And if the back door’s locked, then it’s time to look for an open window. And if all the windows are shut tight, then the storm door or basement door, etc. Too many people simply try the obvious way of doing something, often, by just looking at their bank account or their calendar. And then they stop there.

And you know what? There is ALWAYS a way. But only if you’re willing to look for a different way. Only if you don’t get stopped at the front door, thinking, “Oh well, it wasn’t meant to be!”

It’s about letting go of mediocrity and trusting that there IS a way to get what you want, or to do what you want to do for your business or in your life. You see, once you make the COMMITMENT to find a way to make it happen, the way to do that thing shows up. Always.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Let me ask you this…

What is it that you are wanting to do that you’re stopping yourself with excuses or money or time?
Make a list. If you can be honest about it, really honest with yourself and you see yourself doing this very thing, I want to ask you this… How BADLY do you want this thing, whatever it is? How BADLY can you taste it?

Before you say, “But wait, Fabienne. There ISN’T enough money for this in my bank account.” or “Fabienne, I’ve already got something planned for then”, notice that it’s all a question of your perception. If it were a life-or-death thing, you WOULD find the money, you WOULD clear your schedule. And so it CAN be done. And if it can be done, then the excuse is no longer valid.

If you want something really badly, then you need to approach it as if it were a life-or-death situation. You need to have your ACTIONS match what you say you want. Otherwise, a year from now, 10 years from now, 30 years from now, you’ll be in the same place you are now. Is that what you really want?

It comes down to being WILLING to act differently. It’s not just thinking differently, it’s about taking bold and decisive action toward what you say you want in your business or your life. It’s about saying YES to what’s possible for you. Saying YES to the opportunities that are divinely given to you. And then taking action. Your business, your life, your in-come will never be the same. I promise you that.

Here’s a great opportunity for you to take action on as well. If you’ve been searching for answers to growing your business, then I want you to know about my brand new Get More Clients Blueprint DVD/CD Homestudy System (based on the SOLD-OUT live event). With this program, I take you by the hand and walk you step-by-step through the process of earning way more in your small business. Take a moment to watch this high content video that explains it all at www.JoinTheTop5Now.com. No more excuses!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is founder of the Client Attraction System , the proven step-by-step program that shows you exactly how to attract more clients, in record time…guaranteed. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her weekly marketing & success mindset articles on attracting more high-paying clients and dramatically increasing your in.come, visit www.clientattraction.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Did you know that a leading institute on entrepreneurship recently reported that out of the 6 million people who open up their own business each year, only 5% of them actually make more than $100k in their own business?

Join Client Attraction Mentor, Fabienne Fredrickson as she shows you step-by- step how to be in that top 5%!

Fabienne just launched her brand new 4-part FREE video training course where she teaches small business owners exactly “How to Authentically Make $100,000 (Or More) Over The Next 12 Months.” It’s in-depth teaching and very high-content — no pitch.

I registered and have watched the first two videos and really appreciate the valuable information she shares on client attraction and how important it is in order to build a successful business. I can’t wait to see what the other videos are about!

See for yourself by registering here: http://bit.ly/mckRXX

There will also be a big bonus offered:

On Wednesday, May 18th at 8pm ET, Fabienne is holding a one-time-only telephone training call where she will put ALL the steps together from the video training and reveal even more great content. It will change the way you do business.

http://bit.ly/mckRXX

Here’s where you register for Fabienne’s important ONE TIME ONLY video training course, at absolutely no charge:

http://bit.ly/mckRXX

I encourage you to take advantage of this free offer, it’s well worth the time to learn this valuable information.

Sue

Every day, we send emails to our friends, business associates and clients. Have you ever taken a moment to really think about what your emails are saying about you? More specifically, what unintentional impression are you leaving your reader? Are you giving them ample opportunity to misjudge your intentions and even your overall business brand?

In preparation of writing this article, I took a quick, unofficial survey of the volume of emails I work with on a daily basis. I receive approximately 100 legitimate emails and send out about 60 emails…a day. So of those 60 emails, I either have an opportunity to make a favourable impression towards my overall eVision Media brand or create a terrible impression on my professionalism…and the same applies to you!

You may not even realize it, but too often little details can be left out or inadvertently included that can suggest that you’re lazy, incompetent, inattentive, mistrustful, or unprofessional. Yikes.

Below lists some critical things to keep in mind when sending emails. Some may seem like a no-brainer, but it doesn’t hurt to have them serve as a reminder, as I know that I definitely make some of these mistakes sometimes!

• Spelling. Remember that spell checkers don’t know when you’ve used a correctly spelled, but incorrect word such as "their" instead of "there". Also be aware of similarily spelled words such as “lose” and “loose”, which I find is commonly done.

• Avoid using web/texting jargon, such as “this 1 is 4 u”, somehow this style of “English” has permiated from social media and text messaging to regular communications – yikes! ’nuff said.

• Grammar. Grammar is not just for picky English teachers. If your writing is grammatically incorrect, it has a much higher probability of being misinterpreted by the recipient. Often in this instance, miscommunicating is worse than not communicating at all.

• Signature Block. Do all of your emails contain a short, professional signature block with your contact information? Don’t make people look in their address book if they want to call you. Just have your information inserted in every message. Add in a brief, catchy sentence and of course, be sure to put your website address there too!

• Subject Line. Use the subject line to communicate useful information. Let the recipient know what the email is about so they can decide what to do with it. Useless subjects, no subjects at all, or misleading ones can be really annoying.

• Format. Writing large, impenetrable blocks of text in one long stream of consciousness paragraph. Break up your ideas so that they are easier to follow.

• Length. Emails should generally be short. Many people find it difficult to read long pages of text on their screen.

• Urgent Indicator. Using the urgent indicator for clearly unimportant emails gives the appearance that you have no regard for the time and attention of the reader or that you suffer from a personality disorder that leaves you with delusions of self-importance. Either way, it’s not a good impression to give so only use the urgent indicated for truly urgent emails.

• Bandwidth Usage. If you’re sending attachments, be careful of the image size – 1 MB is TOO LARGE for those people who still get email over the phone line. It wastes lots of their valuable time waiting for it to download. If there’s no need for sending big files, don’t. If there is, find a way to reduce the image size first or let the person know in advance that you’re sending the large file so they can be prepared.

• Delivery Receipt. Unless you are sending a very important contract or time sensitive document, avoid using the read receipt feature. Most people want to read their emails in private and don’t want to be made to feel you don’t trust them to read your emails. The exception to this rule is if you fear your email is not being delivered to the intended person and you want to be assured they received it.

• Proof-Read SLOWLY. Studies show that the human brain can easily “fill in the blanks” of a sentence or not register a double word like “the.” However, that doesn’t mean you have licence to take advantage of that! When you proof read your email, carefully read E V E R Y W O R D to make sure that your sentence makes sense and isn’t missing anything.

• Understand the difference between TO: CC: and BCC: Rule of thumb, if you want a response from someone, put their email in the TO: field. If you are sending an email to more than one person, the people you are including just as an FYI go in the CC field, this way they know they are not expected to respond. If you don’t want anyone to know that you are sending an email to someone else at the same time, that email address goes in the BCC field. IMPORTANT: If you are sending an email to a bunch of people that don’t know each other – ALWAYS use the BCC field for ALL email addresses. It is a privacy violation and security risk if you share email addresses with other people in your contact list that don’t know each other.

• Never send an email when you’re angry or upset – 9 times out of 10 you’ll regret it the moment you hit the send button. Go ahead and write your emotionally charged letter and then walk away without sending it. Come back when you’ve cooled down and either send a re-written letter or better yet, pick up the phone and communicate that way. There are times when email is simply NOT the best form of communication and the phone is always going to be better when a disagreement has formed, misunderstandings are happening, or emotions get charged.

• Finally, remember that email does not include tone of voice or body language - so all the person reading your prose has to work with is your words. It’s amazing how quickly those words can cause people to jump to the wrong conclusion, misinterpret your intentions and even worse, be offended by the attempt at humour that didn’t quite translate properly.

Can you think of any other things that annoy you about email? Submit your comment below!

Have an amazing day,
Sue

Have you ever wondered, “now that I’ve got a website, what do I do?”

Is having a website stressing you out because it isn’t giving you the return on your investment you were hoping for? Are you worried because it isn’t producing the results you thought it should?

The old adage, “if you build it, they will come” simply doesn’t happen in the World Wide Web. In order to get visitors to come to your web site, you need to make a concerted effort to attract them.

Here’s a checklist of basic things you could be doing now to start promoting your website and getting those desired results:

1. Use your domain name for your email address in all of your email correspondence. This way, with each email you send out, you are advertising your website URL. For example: if your website domain is www.mywebsite.com, then you should ensure you use an email address that uses “mywebsite.com” like susan@mywebsite.com or info@mywebsite.com. This technique also promotes you as a professional; often seeing a Hotmail or Gmail address can appear to others as “amateurish”.

2. Create a signature that goes on the bottom of all your emails that you send out. In your signature, put whatever caption you like – such as, “Contact me to find out how you can [fill in the blank]” along with your contact information and of course, your website URL!

3. Put your website address on all of your print/promotional material such as business cards, promo cards, letterhead etc. Often your website is the first point of contact for new and potential clients. Make it easy for them to find your website so they can find more information about you and your business and feel comfortable about contacting you directly.

4. Create reciprocal partnerships with complementary websites to do a website link exchange. The more high-traffic websites that link to you, the more the search engines will think you are a high-profile website and your search engine ranking has the potential to go up.

5. Send out regular e-newsletters or some form of written communication to your existing and potential customers. Have a prominent sign-up form on your site so people can receive your e-newsletters on a regular basis. The more people trust you and what services you have to offer, the more likely they will contact you or purchase your product!

6. Share the benefits of what you can do to help others; what need can you fulfill for them? Be sure to list those benefits on your website and use it as a reference point to send people to for more information.

7. Encourage referrals – your existing customers can be an amazing promotional tool for you. Offer a referral incentive program if you can.

8. Take advantage of any upcoming holidays – what contest can you run? What special can you put on? (Caution, try to avoid discounting your products or services, this devalues what you have to offer. Instead, offer gift with purchases or entries to a prize draw as an enticement to make a sale)

9. Bonus tip: Engage in Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. Create a professional profile and have conversations with your followers. Engage with the intention of being helpful and offering useful information. This will build your credibility as an expert in your industry and start to create an important, “know, like and trust” factor that is needed to attract clients.

There are many things to consider before having a website created for you. You first need to have a thorough understanding of what you want it to achieve – and be reasonable about your expectations. Will it be a simple “brochureware” piece that is meant to provide visitors with a basic overview of your products and/or services, or is it going to actively sell for you? Hiring a professional website developer can help you sort through these questions, create a design to best achieve those goals, and produce an effective site that will deliver what you want.

Once built, be sure to follow the 8 9 simple steps outlined above and you will be well on your way to having a website that is working for you and your marketing efforts.

Susan Friesen
eBusiness Mentor and Developer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You have my full permission to use this article on your website, blog or social media sites. Simply ensure this complete credit is found at the bottom of the article:

About the Author: Susan is president/founder of eVision Media, a web development and eMarketing firm specializing in building effective brands for entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations for over 11 years. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, she is able to provide an authentic and personalized service for those wanting a trustworthy member of their team for their brand & marketing design, website development and SEO/eMarketing needs. Visit www.evisionmedia.ca to receive your free report, “10 Key Strategies You Need to Know Now to Prevent Your Website from Being a Marketing Disaster.”

Have you heard the buzz about Social Media Success Summit 2011—the web’s largest online social media marketing conference? http://bit.ly/socialmediasummit2011

Before I tell you how this virtual summit will help your business attract great customers and prospects, gain a unique competitive advantage, and measure your social media results, let me share a story with you.

PROOF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING WORKS…

In October 2009, Michael Stelzner started Social Media Examiner, a blog for marketers and small business owners. Almost overnight, his site became one of the top business blogs in the world.

He didn’t advertise, didn’t rely on the press and almost none of his traffic came from search engines.

Slightly more than a year later, his site has more than 57,000 email subscribers, over 31,000 Facebook fans, a half-million page views a month, and has generated nearly $2 million in sales.

Everything he does focuses on delivering high-quality content coupled with intelligent social media marketing.

Michael’s story is not unique. A significant 73% of business owners and marketers plan to increase their use of social media in 2011 (2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report).

What’s the connection? Your customers (and prospects) are using social media every day. Social media is a new marketing frontier because it bypasses all the costly middlemen and allows you to engage directly with your customers and prospects! AND this presents an enormous opportunity for you.

Check out this video:

SO WHAT’S THIS ABOUT?

Michael (and his team) have been working for months to bring the best minds in social media together in a fully online event called Social Media Success Summit 2011.

A significant 2,500 marketers and business owners from around the world attended his last Social Media Success Summit. Businesses were transformed. In fact, 96% of attendees said they’d attend again.

This summit’s focus is to empower you to implement successful social media marketing tactics, track and measure your social media ROI, and see how successful social media campaigns were executed. Twenty-two of the world’s leading social media superstars will be summit instructors.

Presenters include Jeremiah Owyang (Altimeter Group), Brian Solis (author, Engage), Frank Eliason (Citigroup), Mari Smith (co-author, Facebook Marketing), Erik Qualman (author, Socialnomics), Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner), Dan Zarrella (author, The Social Media Marketing Book), and experts from Boeing, Intel, Verizon, Cisco and LinkedIn.

Plus join Andy Sernovitz (author, Word of Mouth Marketing), David Meerman Scott (author, Real-Time Marketing & PR), Jay Baer (co-author, The Now Revolution), Hollis Thomases (author, Twitter Marketing), Steve Garfield (author, Get Seen), and Ann Handley (MarketingProfs)–just to name a few.

Attendees at our two last summits included well-known organizations such as General Electric, American Express, Staples, General Mills, Microsoft, Harvard, San Francisco Giants, MetLife, Kraft Foods, Hyatt Hotels, Stanford, Ben & Jerry’s, IDG and Disney. But you don’t need to be a big business to benefit!

This is the world’s largest online social media event designed to empower marketers and business owners to master social media marketing. And the great news is it’s a live online conference you can attend from your home or office.

Go here now to learn more: http://bit.ly/socialmediasummit2011

Here’s to your success!
http://bit.ly/socialmediasummit2011

P.S. Twenty-two of the most successful social media pros will show you how to use social media to market and grow your business. Remember, the experts teach the sessions live (and it’s all online). So you don’t need to leave your home or office! Go here to see how this works: http://bit.ly/socialmediasummit2011

P.P.S. As a way of saying “thanks” for checking out the summit, there’s a gift just for marketers called “8 Steps to Creating a Winning Social Media Strategy” by Jay Baer (valued at $59) waiting for you. Go get it here: http://bit.ly/socialmediasummit2011

Over a year ago, we decided it was time to give eVision Media an updated look. The colours were getting old and tired, the website was definitely out of date, and none of our marketing materials were truly depicting the quality and scope of services we offer.

We were definitely suffering from the old Shoe Cobbler’s Son Syndrome! Well, our poor son finally graduated from wearing a pair of cheap thongs to having nice, new and shiny shoes!

In order to re-brand, we first needed to get clear on who our ideal target market was so we could make some changes to our brand positioning that would allow us to specifically attract new entrepreneurs as well as established business owners.

The first step to our re-branding was to update our logo. As much as we loved our old logo, it was time to make it more polished and professional looking. (Many thanks to Daniel’s mom for drawing that first penguin and her chick, it will be cherished as our first baby forever!)

During the logo design process, we also made changes to our brand colours. These new colours are not only fresh and more contemporary, but  were specifically chosen to appeal to our target market.

Many proofs and logo versions later, we finally decided on the one you see on the site today. Our new brand had been established!

Now it was time to get busy and re-design and develop our website along with all our other marketing materials.

It took our whole team to get involved in this process. Due to us being such a busy firm, it was hard finding the time to spend working on it! Many months later, we can now proudly send people to our site!

While you are here, please sign up for my brand new free report called, “10 Key Strategies You Need to Know Now to Prevent Your Website from Being a Marketing Disaster” over on the right hand side or click here.

I guarantee this report will enlighten you on important aspects to consider when developing your website and marketing your business.

Thanks goes to our whole eVision Media team for all the hard work and effort in getting our new brand and new website launched!

Sue

PS Along with this new launch, we have also added a new service offering. Well, it’s not really new but let’s just say it’s official now! Click here to find more information about my new mentoring packages!