Don't forget about the next High Rankings® seminar on March 30-31, 2006.
Learn more and see the agenda here: http://www.highrankings.com/seminar.
Seminar will discuss all aspects of search marketing so that you will come away with a good idea of how to optimize your site from start to finish, which will bring you many more targeted search engine referrals than you are currently achieving.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
"Procrastination Marketing -- It Actually Works!"
by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
I'm guessing that right now there are several marketing tasks you've been putting off. Perhaps it's revamping your website. Or sending out your first e-zine. Or getting listed in the search engines. Or putting together a media kit.
So why haven't you done it?
Believe me, this is a battle I fight with myself too. But you know what I realized?
Procrastination is NOT evil!
Instead of seeing procrastination as a terrible thing, I now see it as a tool that helps me learn how I work best.
In fact, I've arrived at six different reasons why we all seem to procrastinate. Here they are, along with what you can learn from (and do for) each.
Reason 1: You are procrastinating because you don't enjoy the entire task or job.
Solution: One of my life coaches told me several years ago that if I didn't like doing something, I should "delete it, delegate it, or automate it." What a great way to look at things! I'm a big fan of ONLY doing tasks I enjoy or am good at. The rest I outsource to people who are good at it and/or enjoy it.
Reason 2: You are procrastinating because you don't enjoy a PART of the entire task or job.
Solution: If you're putting off a whole project just because there's one part you don't want to do, figure out how you can get away without doing that part. Again, delete it, delegate it, or automate it.
Reason 3: You are procrastinating because you don't know how to handle the task or job.
Solution: The answer will not drop in your lap. Get help -- a consultant to teach you how, a book or home study course to show you how, or even better, outsource it to someone who can just do it for you.
Reason 4: You are procrastinating because you simply can't find the time.
Solution: Schedule future time to do it, or get rid of other tasks to create the time you need. If you still can't do this, then you need to find someone to do it for you.
Reason 5: You are procrastinating because you feel stuck.
Solution: You may just need to get momentum going. Give yourself permission to do just one small part of the project only. Or do the easiest part first. (That's how I started writing my entire home study course.) This usually creates momentum, and you end up doing a lot more than you intended to!
Reason 6: You are procrastinating because you don't really want to do what you thought you should do.
Solution: This means you may have the wrong objective or strategy in the first place! Is this something you really want to do, or do you just think you SHOULD do it? Or is it an old goal that doesn't fit you or your business anymore? Your answer may surprise you. Let the goal go for awhile and see what happens. : )
Start Paying Attention!
Once you start paying attention to which activities you put off regularly, you'll know sooner when to be stricter with yourself or find help to get those tasks accomplished in a more timely manner.
So take a minute and make your list right now of what marketing tasks you've been putting off! Don't beat yourself up about it, just make a note and figure out how to get them done. (Or delete them entirely. : ))
© 2004-2006 Alexandria K. Brown
WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Alexandria's Small Business Marketing Blog.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," publishes the award-winning 'Straight Shooter Marketing' weekly ezine with 18,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.EzineQueen.com
I'm guessing that right now there are several marketing tasks you've been putting off. Perhaps it's revamping your website. Or sending out your first e-zine. Or getting listed in the search engines. Or putting together a media kit.
So why haven't you done it?
Believe me, this is a battle I fight with myself too. But you know what I realized?
Procrastination is NOT evil!
Instead of seeing procrastination as a terrible thing, I now see it as a tool that helps me learn how I work best.
In fact, I've arrived at six different reasons why we all seem to procrastinate. Here they are, along with what you can learn from (and do for) each.
Reason 1: You are procrastinating because you don't enjoy the entire task or job.
Solution: One of my life coaches told me several years ago that if I didn't like doing something, I should "delete it, delegate it, or automate it." What a great way to look at things! I'm a big fan of ONLY doing tasks I enjoy or am good at. The rest I outsource to people who are good at it and/or enjoy it.
Reason 2: You are procrastinating because you don't enjoy a PART of the entire task or job.
Solution: If you're putting off a whole project just because there's one part you don't want to do, figure out how you can get away without doing that part. Again, delete it, delegate it, or automate it.
Reason 3: You are procrastinating because you don't know how to handle the task or job.
Solution: The answer will not drop in your lap. Get help -- a consultant to teach you how, a book or home study course to show you how, or even better, outsource it to someone who can just do it for you.
Reason 4: You are procrastinating because you simply can't find the time.
Solution: Schedule future time to do it, or get rid of other tasks to create the time you need. If you still can't do this, then you need to find someone to do it for you.
Reason 5: You are procrastinating because you feel stuck.
Solution: You may just need to get momentum going. Give yourself permission to do just one small part of the project only. Or do the easiest part first. (That's how I started writing my entire home study course.) This usually creates momentum, and you end up doing a lot more than you intended to!
Reason 6: You are procrastinating because you don't really want to do what you thought you should do.
Solution: This means you may have the wrong objective or strategy in the first place! Is this something you really want to do, or do you just think you SHOULD do it? Or is it an old goal that doesn't fit you or your business anymore? Your answer may surprise you. Let the goal go for awhile and see what happens. : )
Start Paying Attention!
Once you start paying attention to which activities you put off regularly, you'll know sooner when to be stricter with yourself or find help to get those tasks accomplished in a more timely manner.
So take a minute and make your list right now of what marketing tasks you've been putting off! Don't beat yourself up about it, just make a note and figure out how to get them done. (Or delete them entirely. : ))
© 2004-2006 Alexandria K. Brown
WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Alexandria's Small Business Marketing Blog.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," publishes the award-winning 'Straight Shooter Marketing' weekly ezine with 18,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.EzineQueen.com
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Get More Visitors To Your Website
Create A Mailing List
I listed this first because creating a mailing list or newsletter is probably the single most important thing you can do for your website. If you are going to go through all the work to get visitors to your site, why not turn them into repeat visitors. Generating traffic is very important, but creating a mailing list is critical if you want to keep your visitors.
An auto responder is a powerful tool that will allow you to automatically interact with your subscribers. When choosing an auto responder, there are several things to consider. First, do you want to do everything yourself, or is an auto responder service the way to go. Second, how many mailing lists can you create? Don’t limit yourself. The ability to create several targeted mailing lists will increase your ability to generate maximum traffic and sales. Finally, how many messages can you have in the auto responder? You may want to automate a months worth of messages for your list.
NOTE: If you have an auto responder on your server, all mail will be sent from your server. If, for some reason, you are reported as a spammer, all mail from your domain may be blocked. I strongly recommend that you use an auto responder service to avoid this problem.
Create A Special Report – And Give It Away
A special report is generally longer than an article and shorter than an ebook. Create a special report on a specific topic that compliments your website. Announce your freebie every place you can. When visitors arrive to collect their freebie, make sure you get their email address.
Write Article And Submit Them For Reprint
For best results, write articles that relate to the topic of your site. Create a compelling byline that encourages readers to visit your site. Submit your article to all the major article directories. One thing that many people forget to do is check popular websites on their topic. Some of these may accept article submissions. Don’t completely rely on the large article directories to get your article out there.
These are just a few of the ways to drive traffic to your website. By increasing the traffic to your website and keeping in contact with those visitors, your online business can only improve.
--------------- Author Information ---------------
Jess Knutson - FutureSAHM.com.
To learn more about getting quality traffic to your site and improving your interaction with those visitors stop by http://www.futuresahm.com/wahm_resources.shtml.
I listed this first because creating a mailing list or newsletter is probably the single most important thing you can do for your website. If you are going to go through all the work to get visitors to your site, why not turn them into repeat visitors. Generating traffic is very important, but creating a mailing list is critical if you want to keep your visitors.
An auto responder is a powerful tool that will allow you to automatically interact with your subscribers. When choosing an auto responder, there are several things to consider. First, do you want to do everything yourself, or is an auto responder service the way to go. Second, how many mailing lists can you create? Don’t limit yourself. The ability to create several targeted mailing lists will increase your ability to generate maximum traffic and sales. Finally, how many messages can you have in the auto responder? You may want to automate a months worth of messages for your list.
NOTE: If you have an auto responder on your server, all mail will be sent from your server. If, for some reason, you are reported as a spammer, all mail from your domain may be blocked. I strongly recommend that you use an auto responder service to avoid this problem.
Create A Special Report – And Give It Away
A special report is generally longer than an article and shorter than an ebook. Create a special report on a specific topic that compliments your website. Announce your freebie every place you can. When visitors arrive to collect their freebie, make sure you get their email address.
Write Article And Submit Them For Reprint
For best results, write articles that relate to the topic of your site. Create a compelling byline that encourages readers to visit your site. Submit your article to all the major article directories. One thing that many people forget to do is check popular websites on their topic. Some of these may accept article submissions. Don’t completely rely on the large article directories to get your article out there.
These are just a few of the ways to drive traffic to your website. By increasing the traffic to your website and keeping in contact with those visitors, your online business can only improve.
--------------- Author Information ---------------
Jess Knutson - FutureSAHM.com.
To learn more about getting quality traffic to your site and improving your interaction with those visitors stop by http://www.futuresahm.com/wahm_resources.shtml.
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