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Why are you in business? No seriously, why? If you just said it is to help others, make the world a better place or some other lofty dream, you are only partially correct. The truth is, you are in business to make money. Without money, you can’t be sustainable or make much of a difference and it’s really tough to be able to help others when you can hardly help yourself.

Below are some pointers that have helped me build a multi 6-figure business. Implement some or all of these suggestions and you’ll be on your way to fulfilling the reason why you are an entrepreneur to begin with … by nurturing your business to success!

STEP ONE: Nurture your Vision

Create specific goals that will lead you to fulfilling your vision. What do you want your business to look like a year from now? 5 years? Start there and create a plan that will support you– what needs to happen in order for those goals to be achieved? This roadmap will be what you follow to achieve your vision.  And remember to treat your business as a business instead of a hobby (whether you realize it or not) this mindset shift alone will make an incredible difference to your success.

STEP TWO: Nurture your marketing

It can’t be overstated enough at how important this step is. Without marketing your business, you will not flourish because no one will know you exist!  Here are some tips to get you going:

• Do a thorough analysis on who your ideal target market is, what their needs are and how you can help them.

• Spend at least an hour or two a week minimum working ON your business and if you can’t take that time, hire a competent marketing firm that can do a lot of it for you (and the bonus is that you’ll benefit from their expertise, which will save you more time, energy and money in the long run).

• Market yourself daily online via social media, networking groups, blog postings and commenting on other blog posts. This does not mean pushing your products or services on others! Your goal is to develop relationships so they can begin to know, like and trust you.

STEP THREE: Nurture your clients

The best way to build your business is through referrals. If a client is pleased with your offerings, they will be more than happy to tell others. In order to achieve this, here are a few pointers:

• Demonstrate you care about them by being accessible and responding to their needs in a timely manner

• Follow up to see how they are doing

• Thank them for being a client/doing business with you

• Stay in touch on a regular basis through social media, blog posts and newsletters

STEP FOUR: Nurture your team

It is nearly impossible to build a successful business without any help. Build a team of resources (either as employees, contractor or hiring an expert in a specific field) who can offset your weaknesses. Delegate as much as you can of the stuff you really don’t like doing or don’t know how to do (properly).

Lead your team by example and encourage, praise and respect them. Never scold and criticize them in front of their peers – that’s a sure fire way to demean and devalue them. Your team can also help by brainstorming for new ideas and ways things can be improved.

STEP FIVE: Nurture Your Systems and Processes

It’s probably the last thing you want to do, but it’s critical to document everything you do and how you do it as if you were going to re-create your business as a franchise. (Read Michael E. Gerber’s The E-Myth Revisited to find out how.)

This step will save you countless amounts of time and energy, especially as you build your team while growing your business.

STEP SIX: Nurture Your Self

I encourage you to believe in what you are doing and have confidence that everything will work out.  Stop chasing after every guru out there and start trusting that you already have the resources you need to succeed.

Stay on track by following your plan and don’t let the shiny object syndrome continually pull you and your team in several different directions.

Find a mentor, mastermind group or coach that will not only support you but guide you on how to implement your plans and allow your brilliance to shine. You’ll stop wasting time and money and start focusing on what is most important so you can grow more quickly and get the support you need.

By nurturing your business using these 6 steps, you will not only enjoy growth and sustainability but also the success you desire!

I’d love to hear from you! Comment below and share your challenges or perhaps some ideas of your own that can help nurture your business to success.

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If you’ve been struggling to get any substantial results from your on-line information product (such as an on-line course, PDF eBook, etc)… or you’re ready to get started with this popular passive revenue stream, then read further . . . you’re going to want to hear what I’m about to share.

Ali Brown just released a special report with “InfoProduct Guy” James Roche. It’s called “Info-Publishing Secrets: Cash-In on What You Already Know” and it’s your chance to learn from not one but TWO experts in information publishing who are not only “in the trenches” every day but work with *clients around the world* to create these types of income streams.

And they know what works…

You see, information is nothing new, but these days people aren’t looking for more of it. They’re looking for distilled information, and they are happy to pay for it if it’s the right information. Whether you realize it or not, YOU have knowledge that other people will gladly pay for. But you have to make sure to plan ahead to create a product that people will actually want!

That’s where Ali and James come in. In this complimentary PDF download, you’ll learn:

*7 reasons why info-publishing is still a *super income stream* to add to your business, or a business model itself that allows for a very flexible lifestyle (work at home, or travel with your laptop!)

*The 2 items you MUST get clear on when *planning a product that will SELL*. (Don’t waste your time creating a product that no one wants! It’s heartbreaking to see so many people do this.)

*What’s working–and what’s NOT working–right now in information publishing. (The industry HAS changed, and what worked just a few years ago is not flying today.)

*The *TOP 3 MISTAKES* people make in info-publishing that waste hundreds of hours of time (and often a lot of money).

*How information publishing is a SHORTCUT to getting more (and better) clients… if you offer some type of service or consulting/coaching.

*The EASIEST path to getting started fast if you’re new to the game.

Ali and James have both sold millions of dollars in information products combined over the years. But remember each of them started with ONE e-book that brought in an extra few hundred dollars a month and grew from there. And you can do it too!

Don’t miss out on this information-packed special report. I just read it and it has great info in it so wanted to make sure you knew about it too.

Download your free copy here:
http://bit.ly/InfoProductFreeReport

Here’s to your success!
Sue

P.S. In the report, Ali and James will also give you a sneak preview of their BRAND NEW, detailed program that will walk you through all their BEST strategies on info-publishing (and you’ll even get a coupon code to SAVE $50!). BUT even if you decide not to invest in the course you will want IN on this information–it’s chock-full of valuable information on creating your next info-product. Download your free copy of this report here:
http://bit.ly/InfoProductFreeReport

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Many of us grow up thinking there has to be *one or the other*…

You make a lot of money and lose your soul.

OR, you stay true to your faith and family.

One of the reasons why we think this way is much of our world is stuck in the *old paradigm of thinking*. Especially when it comes to money and business.

Consider this… the “old” model for business was a *masculine* model. Business and life were separated. Work and home were clearly divided. (Just watch a few episodes of “Mad Men” and you’ll get this quite clearly.)

When women entered the workforce in greater and greater numbers, we were the ones to not quite understand why that was so. We work *holistically*, not in a rigidly segmented way. We were thinking of our happiness, our families, our fulfillment.

So we challenged the model. We changed it. We said “no more” and wanted to work in a way that brought meaning and joy to our lives.

The “old way” was a model *we never fit into in the first place*. Hence the huge uprising in female entrepreneurship.

Because finally, with all the opportunity before us, *we now have the edge*.

We can have faith, family, and financial freedom, all together.

In pre-chats with several of the luminaries being featured in entrepreneur mentor and ABC’s “Secret Millionaire” Ali Brown’s “Feminine Edge” teleseries, Ali’s been struck by something in particular: These women run their business with their values in order: Faith first, Family second, and Financial Freedom third.

They may describe it differently, but they do it–in different ways, with different lives, and different businesses.

I’m excited to learn from 13 of the best and brightest luminaries–from money masters to spiritual leaders–in Ali’s free teleseries. These women have designed a business on their own terms and created an extraordinary life for themselves. It’s time we joined them!

Watch Ali’s video now to get the scoop and reserve your spot:

Remember, “The Feminine Edge” is FREE to attend for all three days. I’ve already signed up, so you should register now too before you forget–it all starts TODAY, June 26!

Kind regards,
Sue

P.S. I also love how Ali is giving 20% of profits from her optional VIP upgrade to join FITE–a nonprofit helping women around the world empower themselves through entrepreneurship via microloans. You can see what she’s doing here:
https://alibrown.infusionsoft.com/go/feminineedge/evision/

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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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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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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

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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.”

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Congratulations! You decided to write a regular newsletter and are psyched to get started (or start again as the case may be).

Before you dive into writing, it’s important to plan your newsletter so you get optimal results. Also, it’s very important to remember your newsletter is not meant to be a promotional piece but rather a content rich resource where your subscribers will want to ensure they don’t miss an edition because they know it will be worth their while.

Here is a brief summary of the components that should make up your newsletter:

1. A Personal Note: In order to build a “know like and trust” factor with your readers, you want to give them some insight to who you are personally. I’m not saying you have to share what you ate for breakfast that morning (unless nutrition is your business!) but do share something casual or interesting that your readers would love to know more about. If you feel uncomfortable with sharing personal information, then share what seminars you’ve taken, what books you’ve read, what hobby you’re into – anything so people make a connection that you are a human being just like them! Include a photo pertaining to what you’re talking about if you can as this enhances the relationship building you want to achieve.
2. Client Showcase/Raving Fans. This can be in the form of showcasing new clients or a way to post client testimonials who are your raving fans. Make this section more than just a couple of sentences – you want this to be more a short case study that details the benefits of what you did for a client and why they are so happy with your product/service. Have a photo of the client and link to their website so it becomes a win-win scenario and they get good exposure for writing you such a rave review.
3. Feature Article: this is the main point of your newsletter. There are a couple of ways to do this and I suggest you give them both a try and monitor your results:
   1. Place the full article in the body of the newsletter
   2. Have just the first paragraph of the article in the newsletter and then link to the full article that is also posted in your blog. This serves a couple of purposes: 1) sends people back to your website and 2) the article posted in the blog is great for search engines and can also be posted to your social media sites at the same time.

   Be sure to add a note at the bottom of your article inviting readers to repurpose it in their own newsletters or website. Give them a short paragraph that must accompany the repurposed article that provides a call to action for the reader to go to your site and get your free giveaway or sign up for your newsletter.

4. Where You Are: If you do presentations, talks, demonstrations or anything where the public could come and see you, add this section in that details the dates of these events and what you’ll be doing. If you are wanting to showcase yourself as an expert in your industry, include other events such as attending seminars, high-end coaching sessions or travel destinations.  
5. Your Assignment. Often an article can be accompanied with a “to do” action item. Something you can tell your readers to do to get them into action with what they just read. Like what I’ll have below this article…
6. Recommendations: This section can be used for you to recommend something you would find of value to your readers. This can be a book, a recipe, a service or product… whatever you wish! If possible, you can use this opportunity to become an affiliate of the item you are promoting and gain commissions on any sales that might come of it.
7. Your bio/profile. Have a spot at the bottom of the newlsetter reminding your readers of who you are. Craft a concise “20 second elevator pitch” that speaks to the problems people have that you can solve for them. Finish with a call to action by contacting you for a free ‘get acquainted’ session or whatever your free offer is.

Your Action Assignment:
Think about a question a client asked you this week OR think about an interesting idea you came across you want to share with your readers. Start writing down what you want to say – don’t worry about the grammar, just get your thoughts onto paper. Once that hard part is done, then flush out the rest of your newsletter by following the formula above. For the intro, what personal thing can you share? Do you like to garden? Cook? Do you have an interesting hobby? What about your kids that you can boast about? Let your readers get some insight into your life so they can start to get to know the real, authentic you. Lastly return back to your main article and either refine it yourself or send it to your VA, assistant or newsletter guru to get it polished for you.

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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 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 “get to know you session” 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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So you thought it was a good idea to write a regular e-newsletter. It sounded like a great idea at the time when you first heard all about the benefits of having one…. so what happened? Are you missing out on a fundamental marketing strategy that could make a huge difference in your business success?

I know for me, I just got busy and taking care of “eVision Media” related items, such as writing a regular newsletter, was the first to go off the radar. Definitely not the wisest decision to make, so this is my resurrection at correcting this slip-up.

The thing is, a newsletter is quite critical to the success of your business. Here’s a few reminder pointers to consider:

1. A newsletter is a way for you to keep in touch with your database (consisting of clients and those who signed up to hear from you). The reason this is so important is you simply don’t want people to forget about you! You want to remind them of your services so they will automatically think of you when they need what you provide or automatically refer you to a friend or associate for the same reason.
2. A newsletter is your opportunity to showcase your expertise. People have a desire to learn and they want to learn from those that know what they’re talking about. You’re doing a disservice if you don’t share your expertise with those who WANT to learn from you.
3. A newsletter is an inexpensive form of marketing. It costs pennies to send one out and your return can be immense.
4. A newsletter is an opportunity for you to collect a database of people truly interested in what you have to say. They are your primary target market!
5. A Newletter is a way for you to develop a lasting relationship with your readers. The more you write and share, the more they get to know, like and trust you. The more they do this, the more likely they will want to do business with you or refer you to others.

It’s clear why a newsletter is important to have, but I know, there are lots of “reasons” why we don’t have one …

1. Don’t have enough time
2. Don’t know what to say
3. Don’t know how to write well enough or like to write at all
4. Don’t think you have anything of value to share
5. Don’t want to “bother” people by emailing them all the time

I’m sure you can think of more, but these are some of what I hear most often.

So let’s examine this list of “reasons” and see what solutions can be found.

1. Not enough time. Simply make the time! Schedule a couple of hours into your calendar to write a newsletter at minimum once a month. Every two weeks is much better and some experts will say once a week is most effective. I think it really has to do with who you are writing for – what are they wanting and how often would they love to get your valuable information.

2. Don’t know what to say. This one can actually be as simple as listening to your current clients and remembering the questions they ask you. If one is asking, then the chances are many others are also seeking the same answer. Keep a log of questions you get throughout your day and then write an article about your response. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn out answer – short and informative is all that is needed.

3. Don’t know how to write / don’t like to write. This can be solved a few ways. Believe it or not, there are people out there that actually LOVE to write and would be thrilled to help you out! There are virtual assistants, students and even us here at eVision Media that do this service for some clients. All you need to do is write out the general outline of what you want to say and let the copywriter put it together for you. Another idea is to record your thoughts using a free recording service and have it transcribed by a Virtual Assistant. Another idea is to not write at all and create a video instead! All you need is a blog to post the video onto and then send out a newsletter telling people to click on the link that takes them to your blog post.

4. Nothing of value to share. Ok, tough love here… STOP THAT! Of course you have something of value to share! You wouldn’t be in business if you didn’t! Your clients love you for your expertise so never undervalue what you offer. Don’t let your lack of confidence filter through because people don’t want to hear from someone who doesn’t think they are very good. Do you?

5. Don’t want to bother people. I get where you’re coming on this and it can be used as an easy scapegoat to avoid the whole newsletter thing. However, you’re forgetting one critical fact – these people signed up to actually RECEIVE a Newsletter from you! If they didn’t want to be bothered, they wouldn’t have signed up. Period. In fact, by asking people to sign up for your newsletter and then never or rarely send one out sends a negative message to these people – that you can’t be counted on to follow through with what you promised you would do. Ouch.

If you are still unsure of whether a Newsletter is of value for you, we can schedule a consultation to help you come up with a game plan.

On a final note, it’s important to realize a Newsletter is NOT a form of advertising and should never be the main focus of your email (unless it’s a separate sendout and is not part of your regular Newsletter). In my next issue, I’ll go over the formatting of a newsletter and the types of content that should be in them.

Your Action Assignment:
Take out your calendar right now and schedule a time THIS WEEK to write your next newsletter. Give yourself at least 2 hours to do some research and write down your thoughts. If you don’t want to write the entire newsletter, then arrange for someone who will be gladly do it for you.

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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 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 “get to know you session” 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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Attention business owners, entrepreneurs, marketers and VA’s… and those who want to get the most out of Social Media Marketing…

It’s not too late to register for the upcoming Social Media Success Summit (Starting May 4th) for only $397 and save $200! (Savings only valid until midnight PST, April 20th). Check out below for details on this popular on-line summit where you will gain valuable information about social media… It’s a huge savings and really worth it. Click here to register

Dan and I registered the other day and in this early bird deal they are offering, you also get a bonus of a whole bunch of giveaways worth $797 that can be accessed once registered. I started watching some of the videos and have already learned a ton about Facebook! To me, that alone was a lot of value!

Here’s a sample of the 20 valuable (and relevant!) bonuses they’re giving away:

* Facebook for Business: How to Create a Loyal Following, Build Your Brand, and Increase Your Profits Using the #1 Social Network
* Using the Power and Reach of LinkedIn to Grow Your Business
* How to Grow and Engage an Audience on Twitter
* The Twitter Strategy Marketing Guide
* How to Drive More Qualified Traffic to Your Blog

There is also a forum and Facebook community to network with, which is also a bonus!

Be SURE to register by Tuesday, April 20, to enjoy a savings of $200!! (There’s even a two-pay plan to make it super easy on your wallet.)

This event is *entirely* virtual and your ticket includes ALL replays for your review or in case you can’t make any live sessions. 24 leading social media experts will lead content-rich sessions including someone I admire greatly, Mari Smith.

This year’s focus is to provide everything you need to create an effective social media marketing plan, track your social media results and learn from other successful businesses. Plus, you’ll find out how to use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Foursquare and Groupon to attract high-caliber customers and grow your business during any economy.

Dan and I hope you will join us – the great thing is that after the event is over, we can help you build your social network if you don’t have the time nor inclination, but it’s so important you understand that medium first so we can provide assistance as needed.

To your social media success!

Sue & Dan