With social media on the rise, and increased transparency on the web, brands can no longer hide out, manipulate or dictate the message. Actions speak louder than tweets. What do you promise? Do your customers know it?

Most companies, lose focus and promise too many things; it happens when someone feels any negative will lead to a loss of business. Common tag lines such as “No job is too big or small,” communicate little to nothing about your benefits or expertise. Companies that over promise, end up disappointing their customers, losing trust and credibility.

Here’s how to set yourself up to succeed:

Make a clear easy to understand promise
Are you about price? Quality? Service? Innovation? Reliability? Sustainability? If your answer is “all of the above,” then it’s time to cut down all the promises to a concise reason for being.

Can you repeat it, time after time?
Great brands don’t have to be the best, you simply have to be consistent. Few would argue that McDonald’s has the best tasting hamburgers on the planet. But they have perfected consistency in their methods, systems and services – you know what you are going to get. Are you providing your customers with a consistent experience? If not, identify the break points, and address them. Repeat your successes until they become automatic.

Does it “Grab” your customers?
If it’s not compelling, a promise won’t bring in the dollars. Customers want to know, “what’s in it for me?”

The right brand image provides guidance and direction; you don’t waste valuable staff time chasing conflicting goals, and clients. Your company looks better as you become more focused and effective. A strong brand image helps a company maintain margin

No one could argue that our world isn’t changing fast—and I don’t mean just technology-wise. Consumers aren’t spending like they once did, manufacturing and shipping costs are fluctuating wildly, and the age of the environment is slowly (finally) being ushered in. On top of that, the Internet has finally really changed the way people shop and buy – not to mention the way we entrepreneurs market our businesses.

If you don’t change your business, and your marketing, to keep up with changing times you can easily become another failure statistic.

Think about it…five years ago MySpace was all the rage. Since then its usage has dropped dramatically, you hardly ever hear about it anymore. You never run into a business owner giving MySpace any time or thought now.

So to help you thumb your nose at all the dire economic news and make 2012 your best ever, here’s my list of 7 things you can do to make it happen.

1) Make a list of what worked and didn’t work in 2011.

Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it, right? So take a step back and look at where you’ve been. For those initiatives that didn’t work, consider why. Was it the right timing, the right offer, the right target market? Could you have done more marketing? Better marketing?

2) Create a marketing plan.

Yeah, I know. You know you need one but who has the time – or know how – to put one together, right? That’s why I advocate writing a 2-page marketing plan. On the first page, list where you are now (gross and net income, numbers of new and repeat clients or customers, amount you currently work and earn, etc.). Then set goals for where you’d like to be in a year for each of those.

On page two, choose three marketing strategies you’re going to use to achieve those goals (public speaking, email marketing, direct mail, etc.). Include an actual to-do list of steps you need to take to implement each one, as well as due dates for each step.

3) Look to external partners.

Great businesses aren’t built by sitting alone in an office. Any entrepreneur can find someone else to interview, refer clients to, or trade promos to each other’s lists. So seek strategic partnerships and Joint Ventures. And develop a support network of at least one other entrepreneur who’s headed in your same direction you can go to for advice – or hire an experienced coach or consultant. That way you don’t waste a lot of time and money reinventing the wheel.

4) Focus on helping, not selling.

If your business is solely about making money, you’re likely to run into big problems trying to grow. Instead, think about your customer’s wants, needs, problems and goals, and how you can help them. Help them achieve their goals, and you’ll automatically achieve your own.

5) Update your Website.

The Web is one of the least expensive and most effective places to market your business. But with all the competition out there, you can’t just throw up a basic Website and expect it to do much for you. Your site needs to be planned out and built to be an effective salesperson that connects with your ideal client – not just an online brochure that’s all about you and what you do.

6) Stop doing everything yourself.

As an entrepreneur, if you want something done the reality is you probably shouldn’t be doing it yourself. Focus your time and energy on the things you’re best at, and that grow your business and make money. Leave the rest to a team of skilled Virtual Assistants.

7) Have a life.

It’s wonderful if you’re passionate about what you do. But all work and no play makes anyone unhappy and eventually burned out. And if you’re married or in a relationship I’d be willing to bet it’s making two (or more) people unhappy. Do something you love outside of work, get some exercise every day, and make time for friends and family. You’ll be more successful, and happier!

Practical marketing expert and business lifestyle architect Stacy Karacostas is on a mission to end entrepreneurial overwhelm! Discover how to grow your business with less effort — so you can help more people, make more money AND still have a life — by grabbing your copy of the FREE “Success without Shackles Starter Kit” at The Unchained Entrepreneur.

To help your business capitalize on the opportunities available through digital marketing, here are five steps for you to get in front of more prospects online:

1. Know Your Audience

You may think you know who your customers are, but have you ever actually analyzed the data? Have you researched their lifestyles, their online destinations and online behaviors? Have you developed personas for your different audience segments?

Knowing as much about not only your customers, but more importantly, knowing everything about your ideal customers is critical if you hope to be effective in getting in front of them online.

There are a number of good resources to uncover more details about your audience online. Quantcast is a good place to start. If your company can afford it, comScore provides tremendous amounts of online insights.

Also, contact the websites that you know your audience frequents. Download their media kits, talk with their ad salespeople and editorial staff. Understand the exact breakdown of their website audience, and their corresponding behaviors on the site.

And don’t forget to ask your customers and prospects directly about their online destinations and usage. This can often be the most insightful research you can do.

2. Understand How They Search

Have you researched how your target prospects are searching for businesses like yours? Google offers a free and easy Keyword Search Tool. Check the “Local Monthly Searches” for the number of Google searches on your targeted keywords in the United States (although there are options for checking international search numbers as well). Or you can try a more robust keyword solution, such as WordStream or SEOmoz Pro. Google also provides you with deeper insights and trends through its Google Insights for Search tool.

Also, check out what your competitors are targeting in search. Tools such as AdGooroo provide very detailed insights. If your budget does not allow for AdGooroo, try SEMRush or SpyFu.

Then write a blog and add optimized posts on a regular schedule. Google will love you. Companies are always surprised by just how much a blog can catapult their organic search rankings and drive qualified traffic to their sites.

And what’s the key to writing blog posts that will be rewarded in the search engines? Sure, you need to cover the basics like keywords as well as optimized title tags and URLs. But even more importantly, you need to create content that kicks butt! That’s right, content that blows people away. There’s a lot of garbage content online already. Don’t waste your time with that just to try to gain some Google rankings. Instead, write exceptional content that makes your target audience scream, “That’s awesome!” That’s when they’ll share a link to it on their blog, or their Facebook Page, or their Twitter feed. Over time, that’s how the media can find you and use you as an expert, as well.

3. Target Your Advertising

Advertising is one of the fastest and most direct ways to get in front of many new prospective customers. And you have plenty of options online.

You can try paid search marketing on Google and Bing/Yahoo. This can include text messages on the search engines, as well as text messages, display ads, and rich media ads in third party websites through their respective display networks.

Another option is “Keyword Retargeting” by technology platforms such as Simpli.fi. This empowers you to show your display advertising to folks who are searching on your prized keywords, regardless of whether they ever clicked on your ads or not, and regardless of where they search online (on any of the search engines, in publication websites, etc.).

Another option is to contact websites of interest for a direct deal, in which you can get guaranteed placements, impressions and location on the page.

Facebook now commands a large chunk of the display advertising market in terms of advertising spend, and it can be a good option for targeting based on someone’s demographics and expressed interests. In addition to standard Facebook Ads, Facebook’s Sponsored Stories is a way for you to leverage the goodwill about your brand that is being provided in Facebook anyway, and putting it front in center in front of a broader network of people.

4. Place Your Content

Creating content can be yet another effective way for you to get in front the right people online. Write articles, write a search-optimized blog, produce videos, conduct surveys and publish the results, and add content worth sharing on your social media platforms.

Find websites that cater to your specific audience, and ask the editorial staff directly about their interest in specific articles that you could write for their site. Offer to write an ongoing series for them. Propose a new section for their site, and then offer to curate the content for it.

Become a guest blogger. To that end, register with My Blog Guest to connect with blog owners looking for guest writers.

If you write a blog post yourself, spread it around. Don’t just stop with Facebook and Twitter. Join relevant Groups in LinkedIn and share the knowledge. Share links to your content through sharing sites like Businessweeks BusinessExchange, BizSugar and Digg.

And if you are looking for ideas for your content, create a special report about the future of your industry or future products that your audience can look forward to. Create a how-to guide. Conduct interviews with various types of experts, complementary to your business.

With all of these forms of content marketing, you’ll be getting in front of many people who otherwise would not come into contact with your brand, building your credibility and building links back to your site.

5. Power Your PR

A content strategy is good, but a content strategy combined with effective PR will give your marketing a turbo rocket boost to the moon. The reason is this. There’s already a lot of content online. Information overload is all around us. So just because you create it does not mean that you’ll get any benefit from it.

However, if you combine your content with PR, you can extend your reach and effectiveness tremendously. With content strategies, what often gets overlooked is (1) the value in creating content that needs to be shared urgently, and then (2) leveraging the press to get the word out. For example, conduct a media campaign about a contest that has an entry submissions deadline. Or a special report about current trends. Or an insider’s peek at a new technology, etc.

And if you create a special report on a regularly scheduled basis, you can develop a long-term relationship with a targeted group of media contacts. Think about Barbara Corcoran. When she created “The Corcoran Report” about New York Real Estate prices, within a few hours after sending it out to the press CNN brought her in to discuss it. The Corcoran Group has regularly published the report ever since, and the press always covers it. What market insights can you provide on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis?

In the spirit of getting covered by the press, you should also consider joining ProfNet, which is a service that many journalists use to find expert sources to quote in their articles. Pretty much any publication that exists today will publish the articles online, as well. Your objective is to get in front of new prospects, and having others write about you, positioning you as an expert, is a great way to achieve that.

Dominate the Top of the Funnel

In summary, the world around you is digital. Your prospects are going digital. It’s time for you to get in front of them online and broaden the top of your marketing funnel. Define your specific target audiences, and then target them through a digital ecosystem filled with relevance and value.

Tom Shapiro is CEO and founder of Digital Marketing NOW, which helps clients maximize their online marketing results. What makes Digital Marketing NOW different is the company’s expertise and focus on digital strategy and strategic design.

Services include digital strategy development, website development & design, conversion optimization, SEO, paid search, online display advertising, social media marketing, email marketing and analytics. Follow us on Twitter: @DigitalMN.

Don’t Leave out existing customers
How many times have you seen a business you order from offer a “deal”, and when you tried to get it, found out it was for NEW customers only?  How did that make you feel? So don’t do that to your customers; give everyone the same  offer!

Followups are important!
People appreciate “thank you”, phone calls and emails are ok, but a handwritten card shows them you REALLY care, and doesn’t take tons of money or time.  Checking to make sure their (hopefully large) order arrived, also makes them feel you care. DON’T use that contact as an opportunity to resell them, or you’ll undo the good you’re trying to accomplish!

Don’t Make Customers Wait!
Having to ask a manager for decisions on sales slows down the momentum of the sales process, and may keep you from closing deals. Get some guidelines ahead of times as to what the “rock bottom” price of items are, and how much you can deal, to avoid this.

Seth Godin said it best: “People don’t believe what you tell them. They rarely believe what you show them.”

That’s your challenge; to get past the show and tell, and PROVE they can trust you.

It doesn’t take a big budget to find new leads, but it DOES take a different strategy.

First and foremost, make sure your staff knows what to do AFTER you get a lead! Do this right off that bat, and when the lead generation process takes off, the rest of the process will be far more successful. So come up with a consistant procedure, and follow it.

Creating a lead handling procedure isn’t difficult; call a meeting, sit everyone down with a whiteboard, and brainstorm a flowchart of “whatifs”, to determine how to handle every situation. Then use the flowchart to create scripts for everyone.

Next figure out how to GET those leads! What customers are you looking for?…what exactly will those people want? You can figure this out from what they’re bought in the past (and how much), what pages on your website they visit, and what emails they subscribe to (you do send out email newsletters, don’t you?)

If You find you’re selling to more than one type of customer, then break down your list, and fine tune the information you send out to speak to each group in the best way.

Community Service
Help out local charities, is a big win for your business and gets you noticed in a very positive way.  Sponsoring organizations like little league, or 4H doesn’t hurt either, and shows that you can mentor people who need it.

Write and post “how-to” articles
You can post them to your blog, and also to Entrepreneurial article/news websites.  Seek out online forums that reporters frequent, and post your news there as well.

Cultivate a connection to the media
Get to know reporters in your industry and offer your expertise to them.  They’re always under tight deadlines, and any help is appreciated.

1. Your customers only care about what you can do for them, so figure that out first!
   • Do you have what they need?
   • What problem does my service solve?
   • Show them proof of the above

   In many cases, concrete proof can result in an immediate sale, so do your research!

2. Figure out who you should be talking to, and “tune” your message.
   • Who does your your service “solve a problem” for?
   • Put together a list and consider, who will be likely to buy?
   • Pick your top five, and focus on them to start with.

   Now put together a marketing message, bearing in mind that what you say to a top executive will differ greatly from what you’d say to a stay-a-home entrepreneur.

   The idea is that when your customer hears your marketing message, they ought to feel like you’re speaking directly to them.

If you follow these two simple ideas, you’ll be most likely to succeed, and can expand to markets as your business grows.

But as with running any small business, there are some challenges you should be aware of as you consider starting an eBay business. The marketplace is vast. There are lots of competitors vying for the attention of buyers, and there are fundamental issues to deal with, such as financing, warehousing and fulfillment.

Starting an eBay business

To get started, develop your life plan and then your business plan, just as you would for any business. Make sure that you’re passionate about the type of business you’ve chosen, make sure that it fits your lifestyle objectives, and that your goals are achievable.

When writing a business plan for starting an eBay business, think about what products you will offer. Will you be a retail store offering a variety of goods? Will you be a discount merchant known for offering specific goods? How will you distinguish yourself from the competition? Do you have exclusive access to buying the products you will offer?

It sounds simple – buy low and sell high, and “ Eureka!” – you have a profit. While the concept is simple, execution can be a bit tricky. Before you dive in, carefully think through your strategy for buying products at a price that’s low enough to allow you a profit margin when you mark it up to a price that is still attractive to your market. And take into account the likely sales volumes you’ll have, and how your profit margin combined with those sales volumes will support your operations and still deliver a profit to you.

If you’re interested in buying and selling collectibles, toys, antiques or other collectible items, you can tap into some great tools to help you research item pricing and trends in those markets. Smartcollector provides free research covering every collectible and antique category on eBay; other services, such as Andale, provide fee-based research tools that cover the remaining eBay categories.

Registering on eBay

Once you have confidence that starting an eBay store is for you, and you’ve laid out a logical and sensible business plan, you need to get registered as an eBay seller. To do so, visit eBay and click on the “Sell” tab at the top of the homepage. Follow the step-by-step instructions to register as an eBay community member. You’ll be asked to provide your basic contact information, as well as banking information, such as credit card and checking account numbers.

Structure and organization

Now that you’re “official” on eBay, it’s time to choose your business structure. Oftentimes, eBay entrepreneurs file for incorporation, or form a limited liability company (LLC). Even if you are operating your business part-time and/or from home, be sure to treat your business as a business, not a hobby.

It’s also important to create a separate set of books for your eBay business. Always avoid commingling personal and business expenses, which creates confusion at tax time by making it difficult to understand how your business is operating. Keeping clean and accurate books from the beginning is critical – open a separate business checking account in the name of the business. We also suggest that you obtain the appropriate insurance coverage for yourself and your business. In each case, we recommend that you “go with the pros” and work with a professional accountant, banker and insurance expert to sort through these issues.

Lastly, as a cautionary note, if you intend to run a home-based business, check with your local authorities to ensure that operating a business out of your home does not violate any ordinances.

Additional logistical issues you should address before starting up a business include: how you’ll pay for your merchandise; how you’ll warehouse your inventory; how you’ll receive payment from customers; and, last but not least, how you’ll fund your business. Remember, there are various financing options available to new businesses, but it’s important to seek the right kind of funding for your particular situation, not just any funding.

Getting the most from your dollar

For warehousing your inventory, consider your garage or basement as a first choice to save costs, as long as local ordinances allow this. To begin with, you will likely have limited inventory – you should avoid tying money up in unused warehouse space or excess inventory. Rental storage units are a good alternative choice for warehousing inventory if you don’t have room at home.

To receive payment for your goods, the eBay company PayPal is a good first choice. PayPal is an online payment service that enables buyers to pay for their purchases by drawing funds from their credit cards or checking accounts. The advantage to using the PayPal service as a seller is that you will not need to obtain a merchant banking account, which can be costly and difficult to qualify for as a startup business.

Open for business!

Now that you have all of the logistics in place, it’s time to open your eBay business. You’ll need to think carefully about how you will merchandise your products, the “look and feel” of your eBay store web pages, and whether you will sell products using the auction model or the fixed price model.

You may need to experiment with each before determining what works best for you. And don’t forget to do a good job with your photography. The only interface the potential customer will have with your products will be the photographs of the products. A great product photographed poorly will never look like a great product.

When it comes to packing and shipping products to your customers, take very special care to pack the products in a way that shows you care. You can even add a personal note to encourage repeat business. Once customers buy from you and have a positive experience, they are likely to become repeat customers. Repeat customers are the best customers to have, and are critical to growing your business.

Efficiency in your eBay business

Once your eBay business begins to grow to the degree that you find it difficult to manage alone, think “outsourcing.” You can outsource many non-core functions, such as bookkeeping, warehousing and fulfillment. You should stick to utilizing your core skills and let others do the “commodity”-type work. You may even want to consider software which helps you automate the entire process. There are several good auction management software products available, such as Zoovy and AuctionHelper, just to name a few.

Good feedback

Finally, pay attention to your eBay feedback rating. The eBay feedback system is designed to help eBay buyers and sellers police each other. When buyers have positive buying experiences, ask them for feedback. As you collect positive ratings, buyers will view you and your eBay business as an increasingly credible source from which to buy, and this is critical. When you are just starting out, work hard to communicate with your buyers to make sure they post feedback ratings for you.

Once you get the ball rolling, you’ll be on your way to great success as an eBay entrepreneur. So, start it up — on eBay!!!

You get a phone call from a potential prospect. You chat, and there seems to be a real connection. They’re interested in what you offer so you schedule that first, free “get-to-know-you” meeting or no-charge consultation.

The meeting goes great! You like each other, and it seems you do indeed have something they need. Now you’re on a roll and excited about this awesome new client you’re pretty sure you’ve landed.

Then that’s it. Even though they seem to like you and want what you offer, they don’t hire you or buy. And no future meetings are scheduled. Somehow the hungry fish you had on the line just slipped right off your hook (again), and you’re not entirely sure why.

4 Simple Steps to More Sales

Frankly there could be any number of reasons why you lost the sale. But rather than focus on the negatives, let’s examine a simple 4-step formula that works like a charm to close sales.

Best of all, it works for even the most sales-phobic entrepreneur, because this method isn’t about trying to sell at all. It’s about getting to know your prospect’s wants, needs and problems, making a connection, and explaining how you can help.

Step #1: Forget About You and Focus On Them

Get to know your prospect by asking questions, and listening much more than talking. Find out what they do, what their goals are, and why they haven’t been able to reach them yet. Try to uncover their biggest problems and desires, and what they think they need.

Step #2: Problems, Solutions and Benefits

Once you understand their problems, wants and needs, simply explain how you can help. Ideally give examples of how you’ve helped others with similar problems. And use stats and specific numbers whenever possible when discussing results (e.g., “In 3 months I was able to help so-and-so double their revenues.”).

Remember, it’s still not about you and what you do or sell…it’s about them and what they need. So focus on results and benefits more than processes. Prospects must understand what’s in it for them or they aren’t going to buy.

Step #3: Check In

Let them know what you believe you can do for them. Then ask, “If I could do X for you, would that solve your problems or help you achieve your goals?” (Feel free to paraphrase here.).

If they say yes, you’re one giant step closer to making the sale. Move on to Step #4.

If they say no, you need to find out why. Chances are you’ve either misunderstood their wants, needs or goals, or they didn’t share a critical piece of information. So return to Step #1, ask more questions, and then go through these steps again.

Step #4: Use the Assumptive Close

Once you’ve offered a solution they agree will help them reach their goals, it’s safe to assume they want to move forward. Who wouldn’t, right?

So don’t ask if they want to hire you or buy now. Tell them what happens next (e.g., “Great! I’m looking forward to helping you X. I’ll send you a proposal/contract tomorrow and we can get started”. Or, why don’t we go ahead and schedule our next meeting now. What days are best for you?”). Then make it so.

Voila! Sale closed.

Close the Loop & Close the Deal

If, for some reason, they start trying to wriggle off the hook now, you need to find out why so you can address the issue. So go back and start at Step #1 again.

Keep in mind, much like you won’t always catch a fish on the first cast, sometimes it’s going take more than one meeting or contact to make the sale—especially if what you’re selling is high priced. So be sure you have a solid process for following up with a thank you card, phone calls, and helpful information (NOT just sales pieces) via email and print.

Then, each time you speak with them, follow this simple process until you’ve closed the deal.

Practical marketing expert and business lifestyle architect Stacy Karacostas is on a mission to end entrepreneurial overwhelm! Discover how to grow your business with less effort — so you can help more people, make more money AND still have a life — by grabbing your copy of the FREE “Success without Shackles Starter Kit” at The Unchained Entrepreneur.
Sales Training Tips: Boost Your Sales Personality

To that end, here are four basic techniques to appeal to affluent customers:

Look the Part and Be Confident
Before you approach affluent clients, you’ll want to review all your marketing materials and website to ensure that they portray you and your business as a high-caliber enterprise. No business cards on cheap, flimsy paper. No cheesy clip art. Put your best foot forward so you’ll look and feel confident.

That also means how you personally look and feel too! Is it time to update your wardrobe? The last thing you want when you’re rubbing elbows with wealthy prospects is to appear needy or insecure, so don’t gush or oversell yourself. And never show signs of intimidation. Even if that feeling creeps in on occasion, keep a brave face.

Build Your Network
Wealthy customers tend to buy from people they know or businesses that have been recommended to them. So, get out there and start planting the seed by attending charity dinners, golf tournaments, and the like. Chatting with people and being seen at these types of events will build your trust and credibility. Think of networking as a long-term investment, rather than a short-term project. You may not see results immediately, but it can pay off months or even years into the future.

Give Them the VIP Treatment
The kind of clients who are willing to pay top dollar are used to being treated extremely well. The Algonquin Hotel in New York City is legendary for noting each guest’s preferences so the staff can make sure that the room is exactly to the guest’s liking the next time they visit.

Do your research so you can customize your interactions to that client. When you’re talking to an affluent client, they should feel as if they’re your first priority. They should never feel rushed to finish a transaction or pressured to sign on the dotted line. Instead, ask how you can meet their needs and listen for clues.

Make It About Value, Not About Price
Wealthy customers don’t check the price tag before they try on that gorgeous, hand-embroidered dress. Their eyes don’t hover over the menu prices at that exclusive oceanfront restaurant. They buy or order want they want, because of the beauty, enjoyment, or other value it brings to their life. They have high standards, but appealing to their desire to save money or using the hard sell just won’t work.

Instead, demonstrate the value that your product or service offers. Create a narrative about the positive feelings it will create. Price should be secondary to the product, but once you start talking dollars and cents, a higher price point can actually be attractive because it reinforces the idea that yours is a higher quality product or service.

The best part: Once you’ve built relationships with clients of this caliber, you’ll find that you’re able to charge more and work less because you have fewer client relationships to manage. Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way.

Ali Brown is a self-made millionaire and Inc. 500-ranked entrepreneur. She teaches women around the world how to start and grow profitable businesses that make a positive impact. Get her FREE CD “Top 10 Success Secrets for Entrepreneurial Women” and weekly articles at AliBrown.com.