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Do you know what is the #1 requested headline I am asked to add to a website’s home page? I get this request so often that I am compelled to write this article in hopes to share just how critical that main headline is.

It could make or break the effectiveness of your website.

Firstly, it’s important to keep in mind that your website is your primary marketing piece, bar none. Even if you rarely update it (that will be another “must write” article coming up!) it’s tirelessly working on your behalf by telling everyone that visits it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all about your business. None stop.

Why is this so important? Many times, it’s the first impression your potential clients will get of you and your business. This cannot be taken lightly in this highly competitive world we live in. Even if you believe your website is quite useless and you hardly pay any attention to it (oh, yet another “must write” article!), which, I promise you, it is far from useless.

When a prospect visits your website, their primary objective is to find out if you can solve their problem. If they didn’t have a problem to solve, they wouldn’t be looking for you. Period. Their problem could be something like needing to sell their home fast, or they need to find peace in their relationship, or perhaps they are looking for a solution to make them healthy again.

Whatever that problem is, they need to know right off the bat if you will be the one to solve it for them.

You have literally 3 seconds to transmit this solution and the only way it is going to happen is through that main headline on your website.

Now I ask you, is the following headline (the most requested one I’m asked to add to a website) going to convince anyone that their problem will be solved?

“Welcome to my website”

Nope.

At best, it’s going to give them the impression you’re a friendly person; how lovely. At worst, it’s going to tell them that you’re only interested in what you have to say, that your website is going to be all about you. Making their big question, “What’s in it for me?” remain a mystery.

So guess what happens? Neither scenario is going to grab their attention enough to make them go any further past that opening statement.

You can have the prettiest photos and the most well-written, compelling copy underneath that headline, but the opportunity is lost. Faster than you can say “back button,” they have moved on, resuming their search to find someone that will solve their problem.

I encourage you to take a look at your website and ask yourself if your primary home page headline is grabbing enough attention to make your prospective clients read further. Ask yourself if it is addressing their problem, telling them that you know exactly what they are going through?

If you are one of those, “Welcome to my Website” headline writers, I encourage you to take a critical look at how effective it is being and really give some thought to what problems you are solving for your clients. Write a list and from there decide what is the biggest / most common problem you come across. From there, compose a compelling headline that will get your prospective clients to read more to convince them that you are their ideal choice.

If this feels like a daunting task, some of your best spent money would be on a professional copywriter to help you with this. The success of your business could truly depend on it.

Share your comments below about website headlines – what has worked for you and how do you measure its effectiveness?

To your eMarketing success,
Sue

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Recently I decided to give the client gallery on our website a “summer cleaning and update.” To be honest, I was aghast at how long it had been since I had added in all our new projects (which I can happily say they are there now) but even more revealing, was I also discovered several (now former) clients who had decided to change their website to something “new” and move on without us.

At first, I have to admit, I took it personal. Why didn’t they ask us to help them? Are they mad at us? What did we do wrong?

I’m sure you can relate. It’s human nature to immediately take something personal, when the truth could be far from it.

But the problem is, how do we know what the truth is if that client never told us there was a problem to begin with?

This discovery of these changed websites got me thinking about communication and some of the more challenging situations we’ve endured over the years. Indeed, it hasn’t been a completely smooth ride… we’ve definitely had some clients not happy with us that moved on. But we knew about those and usually knew why.

This was different.

These clients just slipped away in the night with nary a footstep to be heard…

After giving this some thought, I came to a couple of possibilities:

1) They wanted a new site but decided (for any given reason) they did not want to hire us for the job.

2) They knew they needed a new site (some of these sites were quite old – like over 5 years so it was badly needed) and didn’t want to pay to have us (or anyone) do it. They decided to build their own site instead.

Going back to those challenging client situations, I do know that there has always been one common denominator: A disconnect of expectations.

This happens when the client is expecting certain results that may be different from what we are promising we will do for them. When this happens, I must take full responsibility. If I have failed in communicating clearly on what we will do for a client, and they have a different expectation as to what they will receive, then I didn’t do my job right.

Sometimes this isn’t as easy as it sounds.

As an example, if a client purchases our ePlus branding package, we do exactly what we say we will do: Submit the client’s site into 12 different industry-specific directories and submit into 10 different search engines as well as design and install custom eSignature and eStationery (if the client’s software can facilitate them) into their email client.

However, what I’ve come to realize is that they are not looking at those specifics… they are looking at the results: What will they get out of this investment?

Perhaps their thoughts read:

-”This will get me at the top of the directory searches!”
-”If I just build the website, they will come”
-”I’ll be #1 on Google!”
-”People will swarm to my website with all the exposure I’m going to get!”
-”I’ll have so many clients from everyone seeing my eSignature, they will surely hire me as soon as they see it!”

You get the idea.

Did I exaggerate a bit? Maybe. But for some… for those clients we lost over the years… I wonder if that’s what happened? In any case, I have made a commitment to ensure our communications are clearly stated from the start to avoid any potential misunderstanding.

Do you face the same challenge of communicating to your current and potential clients clearly what they will get from your efforts without them distorting the reality of the benefits of what they will receive?

My intention with this article is to not only share a big “ah-ha” I got from my “Summer Cleaning” but to also get you thinking on how you are communicating expectations to your clients.

If you’re struggling with unhappy clients or losing them without any explanation, perhaps it’s time to take a look at your website copy, proposals, guarantees and all other forms of communication your clients will see and ensure all expectations are properly managed to avoid any disappointments in the future: you can’t promise the world, unless you’re prepared to give it!

Do you have a story you’d like to share about a disconnect of expectations you experienced? Please post below and let’s go through this process together!

Expectationingly,
Sue

~~~~~~~~~

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 10 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. Contact Susan today for a free 30 minute consultation on helping you build your website presence to be the effective marketing tool is can be. susan@evisionmedia.ca or visit www.evisionmedia.ca.

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Check out this infographic on the Top Ten Facts of Facebook:

To your social media success!
Sue

P.S. Maria and Tina have an amazing Ulimate Social Challenge where they will show you how to fuel your business with Facebook + Mobile + Pinterest.

Go now to: http://bit.ly/socialchallenge and register!

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Ah spring! The bounty of colours that erupt from the grey doldrums of winter that brings everything back to life again!

Spring is a time for rejuvenation and your business marketing efforts are perfect for revitalization. It’s time now to put more spring into your marketing and get more clients!

Here are five things you can start on today to get you started:

1)      Pick up the phone. Just as spring is a time of new beginnings for you, the same principle applies for your potential clients. People are in a hopeful, happy mood and are more amiable to making decisions, developing plans and moving forward. Pick up the phone and call your leads, past clients and those you met through your networking activities and introduce yourself, or remind them that you’re still around, and are here to help them.

2)      Conduct a promotion. Create a contest or some sort of promotion that’s tied in with Spring. If you’re in the cleaning or organizing industry, this is tailor made for you! However,  avoid discounting your services – instead, add in more of what you’ll give or do to the regular price. Discounting devalues your product or service but adding more value to an existing package is a win-win scenario for both of you!

3)      Spruce up your website.  If you haven’t updated your website in the past month or so, it’s time to give it a freshen-up. Just like you wouldn’t be reading the Friday newspaper to find out what happened on Monday, your prospects also don’t want to see old news on your website. Spruce it up to bring back some life to it! Here are some suggestions:

1. Freshen up the  copy (text and images), especially on the home page, in a way that your prospects will find enticing.  Copy is King in the on-line world so don’t neglect this critical component of your website. If your copy isn’t well written, it’s not going to elicit much  trust from your potential clients nor compel them into action so be sure it’s written in a way that achieves your website goals.
2. Give it an updated look. If your site was created more than 3 years ago, it’s time to bring it up to date. An old and tired looking website is not going to attract your ideal client.  The more enticing your site looks to your prospects, the more effective it will be at drawing them in and hiring you.
3. Add a blog (or don’t forget about your blog!) A blog is a perfect way to keep your website copy fresh and new. Post an article once a week and not only will your prospects see that you are actively participating in your business (and seeing how much you know) but the search engines will reward you by bringing you up higher in the search engine rankings.
4. Add an eNewsletter (or don’t forget about your eNewsletter!) A perfect way to keep in touch with your tribe (your eNewsletter subscribers) is to write to them at least once a month. This is a critical component to your marketing efforts and you will get results from it. It doesn’t have to be elabourate like mine, but it’s essential for you to showcase your knowledge and skill by writing short articles that will inspire, inform and educate your followers.

   Hint: Integrate this with your blog to cut down on writing so many articles!) By the way, if you’re having trouble getting people to sign up for your existing eNewsletter, you might want to consider hiring Dan to do some SEO for you – he’s brilliant at driving targeted traffic to your website!

5. Add Social Media features to your site. If you’re participating in any of the social media channels, then it’s important you have those buttons and links on your website so you can send people to your accounts to follow you. Additionally, you can add social media sharing features to your site, especially your blog, so people can share your articles to their followers.

4)      Get active in Social Media.  There’s no avoiding it, social media is becoming more and more prominent, and expected, in today’s marketing efforts.  Incredibly,  I am hearing from some clients that they are not being considered for hire due to having a lack of followers on Facebook! Whether right or wrong, potential clients could judge you on your lack of participation in this arena so it’s worth taking a look at.  I know for some, it seems like a waste of time and honestly, I felt that way for a long time too. In the past year I’ve been doing more studying and working at social media and have found there are some key strategies that need to be in play in order for your efforts to not go to waste.

For those who are brand new to Facebook or did get started and didn’t do anything with it, check out my beginner’s guide to Facebook here. For those who are already active but are not seeing any kind of results yet, I suggest participating in the upcoming online Social Media Summit where you will learn tons from many top social media experts.

5)      Get out and network.  No amount of online efforts will ever replace the benefits of in-person networking. The key is to find the right networking events to participate in and there, you will gain a huge boost in building relationships and credibility. One of my mentoring clients, Janice Porter (Janice@janiceporter.com)  is a Networking master and I highly recommend you hire her as your personal mentor for networking – she will help prevent you from wasting your time and will teach you how to network effectively in order to build your client base .

If the above list seems overwhelming to you or you don’t know where, or how, to begin. One of my mentoring packages might be a good fit for you where I can walk you through each of these marketing channels and guide you to having a successful business this spring!

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 10 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. Contact Susan today for a free 30 minute consultation on helping you build your website presence to be the effective marketing tool is can be. susan@evisionmedia.ca or visit www.evisionmedia.ca.

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March 30, 2012 is the day when Facebook will be switching your Fan Page over to the new Timeline format.

If you have no idea what this means, you’re not alone! Here’s the scoop: The new timeline means a whole different look to your Facebook fan page (not to be confused with your personal profile, which is also being converted over to the timeline format.)

Here is a screen capture of our current eVision Media Fan Page before switching over to the new timeline:

And here is how it will look once we do the switch over on March 30th:

Things you need to know about the new timeline

I’ve detailed what the main changes are and included some pointers that you need to know with this forced transition:

1. The banner (or logo or photo) that is currently on the left hand side of your page will be gone and is replaced with a much larger, “cover” image along the top of the page. The new cover image dimensions are 815px across by 315 pixels wide.

2. There is a smaller, inset image for either your logo or your personal photo (I prefer a photo to help build relationships with your fans. You’ll see with ours, I have a photo of me that also has our logo – but I may change that.) Keep in mind that whatever is appearing in that smaller window is what will appear with your text whenever you make a comment on someone else’s page or profile when using Facebook as your page (again not to be confused when using as your business page.) The smaller image is 111pixels wide by 74 pixels high.

3. On this larger top banner, there are specific guidelines everyone must follow such as having NO call to action, website address or any kind of advertising/promotion features on it. This includes inviting people to “like” you or to sign up for your free report. It is recommended this banner image be created carefully so that it is consistent with your branding and contains vital information about your business.

4. There is no longer the ability to have a landing “Welcome” page. This means if someone goes directly to your Fan page, they will see the main timeline and not an invitation to “Like” or sign up for your eNewsletter or watch a video etc. However, this does not mean that “welcome” pages are dead or no longer useful.

They are still vital to use wherever you have a link or button that goes to your Facebook Fan Page, that link can direct users straight to your Welcome page instead of the timeline. Stats show that you will get more conversions if people are sent to a welcome page as opposed to just the default view of your page, so this should still be an integral part of your social media marketing plan.

5. There are no longer “tabs” along the left side and instead, they are being replaced with “Apps” that are located under the main banner image. These apps are where you can add in extra features to your page. The image thumbnails to these apps are moveable except for the very first one, the photo gallery; otherwise, you can showcase your welcome page and invite people to sign up for your eNewsletter or add in other specialized content pages that can even be drawn in from your website. (You’ll see from our image above that we have our portfolio, blog and recommended reading apps as being featured.)

Only 4 apps can be visible at the top but you can add as many as 12 apps to your page. You can have your own image with any of the 3rd party apps that you install but you cannot change the thumbnail image of any default Facebook apps such as: Photos, Videos, Likes, Notes and Events.

6. The chronological nature of the Timeline allows you to showcase your business history in an innovative manner. You’ll notice it is now in two distinct columns, as opposed to one main center area for your posts. It takes some getting used to but essentially, your posts are on the left and if someone else creates a post on your page, it’s added to the right, along with other information that Facebook showcases.

7. Facebook has created a “Featured Promotions” ability where you can “pin” a post to the top of your timeline and it will stay there for a week. You can use this feature every week to highlight a contest, important information or a great tip for your followers. Keep going in every week to put something new up there.

8. Lastly, you can make a post the whole width of your screen, as opposed to just the width of a column. This is great for drawing attention to a post that you want to highlight on your page.

As you explore the new timeline (you can see how it will look before making the permanent move by clicking on the “Preview” button on your old page) you will see there are lots of differences to note but too many to detail in just one article. Go ahead and start exploring the new features of the new timeline (if you haven’t already) and get creative with it!

Until next time,
Sue

PS: If Facebook has you confused more than ever, or if you never really got started with the whole “Facebook” fan page thing in the first place, I’m going to hold a 60-90 minute webinar this coming Tuesday night (March 27, 2012) … strictly for newbies!

I will walk you through, step by step, on how to create your Fanpage and get you acclimated to the layout. We will also cover some key things you need to have in place on your personal profile that will help build your fan base. I will also offer some basic tips to get you started in building your fan base.

This course is meant to cover the basics and get you familiar with the new Timeline as well as get you more confident in using Facebook as one of your marketing channels to build your business.

Here are the details:

When: Tuesday, March 27th

Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm pst (approximate length)

Format: Webinar where you will be able to watch live my computer screen and I will demonstrate every click needed
to create your page. I will be recording the webinar an you will have access to the video of it by the next day. I will also provide some handouts for you to follow that also include extra resources to check out.

Cost: $27 CDN

There will be a Q & A session after the demonstration and I will answer as many questions possible within the timeframe allowed. When you register, you can enter in your questions into the form so I will know what they are beforehand and be able to address them during the webinar.

Here’s the link to register: http://bit.ly/eVisionFBWebinar

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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!

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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.

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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

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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!

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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.

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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

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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

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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.”