I pulled out a map of the world today and had a huge and disappointing revelation.

My map is not accurate.

My map is flawed and missing a very important landmark.

I was able to point to my birth place in Pennsylvania and I located Scotland, UK where my lovely friend, Heather Bestel of “Mum’s Got A Business”, resides. 

And let me tell you … Heather lives in the middle of nowhere … and it’s absolutely gorgeous.

Pointing to the major bodies of water all over the world was easy, too. 

Of course, I can drive a few miles and dip my toes in the Pacific Ocean.  No need to look that one up.

However, there’s one major body of water that’s missing from my map …

The Sea Of Infocrap.

I know it exists because I’ve taken a swim in it many times.  

The waters are horribly frigid — intolerably cold, in fact.  It’s an icy swim that leaves you shivering with chills.  

I’ve had a few instances where I nearly drowned.

Have you taken a swim in it or sailed the waters of The Sea Of Infocrap?

Do any offshore diving?

Visit any ports?

Explore any caves?

Feel free to share the crappiest crap you’ve uncovered on your journey.

Be specific.  

Please help me pinpoint The Sea Of Infocrap on the map.

Photo credit:  cath @ chunkycooky on Flickr

You know how people are always talking about how great social media is?

And it is great – I use it regularly!

But what a lot of people wonder is what value can social media have for my business?

Everyone wants to monetize social media, but people aren’t really sure how to maximize their social media energy and efforts.

That’s where “From Platform to Profit” comes in.

The program focuses on teaching a “specific system of content syndication” to help improve search engine ranking, build expert status, send more traffic to your website, and help you generate more leads into your business.

It’s being taught by two well-known online marketing coaches, Denise Wakeman, Online Visibility Expert and founder of the Blog Squad, and Dr. Rachna Jain of Profitable Popularity.

The focus of this 5-week training is helping people create a content syndication strategy that works.

People are spending hours and hours on Facebook and Twitter, but ignoring the other 10 kinds of social media sites you can use.

This means you’re not using social media as well as you could be.

And don’t worry, even if you’re not super technical, the training is designed to be easy to follow and easy to apply.

Starting March 1^st, you’ll learn how to convert your text content to multiple formats, and, just as importantly, how to efficiently send your content around the Internet.

Done correctly, content syndication has the possibility to move your business to a whole new level in terms of recognition and opportunities.

Plus, Denise and Rachna have a new, up-to-date module on how to “monetize” your content … the “missing link” in social media.

The early bird special ends Thursday, February 23^rd.

I would love to see your social media efforts pay off … at long last.

Imagine holding a baby and telling that precious child this bedtime story …

Life is colorful and full of adventure.  When you grow up, you’re going to become a “lead”.  

You’ll feel very special to be part of a “highly targeted” audience and an “autoresponder list”.  

Oh, what fun you’ll have traveling through a “sales funnel”!  

Not as thrilling as riding a roller coaster, but a fun ride nonetheless.   

Online marketers and small business owners from around the globe will be competing for your attention.  So you’ll need to become an instant pro at dodging “sales pitches” and recognizing “hype and fluff”.  

Be careful!  Those “bright shiny objects” can mesmerize and allure you.  

Once you become someone’s “prospect”, your inbox will be overflowing with mail.  Won’t it be wonderful to awaken every day to loads of correspondence from “internet marketers” who love to stay in touch with you?!  

Some days they’ll send you off to a “squeeze page”.  Don’t worry.  The squeezing doesn’t hurt.  I promise.

Other days they’ll ask you to enter an “opt in box”.  It’s easy to get in and relatively painless.  

You’ll have lots of opportunities to exercise your visual and auditory senses with all the invitations you’ll receive to attend “webinars” and “teleseminars”.  

Your reading skills are sure to be sharpened, too!  Everyone will ask you to visit their “blog”, read their “posts”, leave “comments”, and share their pearls of wisdom on “social media”.   

It’s inevitable, at some point, you’ll be encouraged to pull out your credit card, make a purchase, and download an “info product”.   But let’s not think about that right now.  You’re looking pretty sleepy.

One more thing before you nod off and head into slumberland.

If you don’t want to be a “lead” when you grow up …

That’s okay and no one will blame you for feeling that way.  

Traveling through that sales funnel sounds kinda scary, doesn’t it?!  

People shouldn’t be referred to as leads, anyway.  The term isn’t very endearing and it doesn’t have much of a friendly ring to it.

Now go off to sleep, little one, and “Dream Big!”

I’ve been reading a ton of discussions recently about whether it’s a good idea to offer your target audience a “freebie” as a means of growing your list …

… the folks you want to build a relationship with away from your blog — those wonderful email subscribers you want to nurture — the prospects you want to market to.

Giving away (even just a portion of) your expertise to potential customers or clients may not be the best way to fly.

It may even come back to bite you in the butt … big time.

Brian Clark from Copyblogger says, “Free is not a business model”.

Kinda makes your ears perk up, doesn’t it?

Armed with all the information I’ve devoured lately, I’m seriously considering removing the freebie offer from my site.

Here’s why …

The WRONG PEOPLE are opting in, which isn’t helping me one darn bit to grow a list of potential “paying” customers.

Oddly enough, rarely does a member of my target audience request my freebie.  Sound strange?  Well, believe it or not, this isn’t just happening to me.

So who’s opting in for the freebie?  Online marketing colleagues, fellow bloggers, curious looky-loos, and the proverbial tire kickers (Ya gotta love THAT crowd!).

Many of them opt in — grab the freebie — and immediately opt OUT.

It’s almost laughable.

Only I’m not laughing.

I’ve even got a few well-established online marketing “experts” who are simply “spying” on me under an alias email address.  Isn’t that a hoot?!  It wasn’t easy to figure out who they are, but I did.

Here’s the risk in offering a freebie …

Hardcore freebie seekers are out there in droves.  We’ll never experience a shortage of people wanting something for nothing.

They will never purchase ANYTHING from you — even if it’s priced at bargain-basement cost.

Once you give them something great for free, their expectation is that the free stuff will just keep rolling in for eternity.

Not cool.  You’re in business — not the “giveaway” business.

I’m convinced freebies may actually do you and your small business more harm than good.

The blog post that influenced my thinking and definitely had the greatest impact on me was from Ameena Falchetto. 

What’s your opinion?

• Is your freebie rockin’ your business?  
• Or are you rockin’ it without a freebie?

Photo credit:  alexanderdrachmann

Nothing spells disappointment like spending weeks or months creating, planning, organizing, and marketing a virtual event …

And then having no one show up or just a sparse handful of attendees.

Ouch!

3 Biggest Virtual Event Promo Challenges

1.)  You may not have a large network of contacts.
2.)  You may not have the resources to reach the people you want to connect with.
3.)  You may be an expert in your niche, but you may not be great at marketing.

Even if you’re not currently using virtual events to grow your business, read on anyway.  

You may be surprised to receive an unexpected invitation to co-host a teleseminar or webinar or be interviewed on Blog Talk Radio.  

So take the boy scout/girl scout approach and be prepared!

Enjoy Over The Top Attendance At Your Next Virtual Event

My colleague and friend, Chris Makell, and I pulled our resources and skills together at the end of 2011 and created a special presentation to help you succesfully promote your virtual events.

If you want to learn how to get an audience in your virtual seats, register at no cost to watch the replay of “Virtually Fantastic Event Promotions!”

You’ll be provided with a handout of event promotional tools.

Then be on the lookout for an opportunity to join me and Chris for a Facebook fan page Q & A session.  We want to get you inspired and motivated to rock your next virtual event!

Watch the replay today.

You’re up to bat …

• How do you get the word out about your telesminars or webinars?
• Are you getting awesome attendance at your virtual events?
• What’s your #1 virtual event promotional strategy?

Did you know your target audience EXPECTS you to brag?

It’s true!

No one wants to work with a loser, right?

Bragging the right way will help you build relationships while you increase sales and revenue.

Everybody likes to hire professionals or purchase products or services they can brag about.

Your potential customers and clients want to hear about …

• Obstacles you’ve overcome
• Success stories of clients you’ve worked with
• Awards you’ve won
• Contests and challenges you’ve entered or sponsored
• Your sales volume for the month
• Those glowing testimonials from happy customers
• Successful collaborations with colleagues
• Charities and causes you support and believe in
• Products or services you offer that help change people’s lives
• Business-building tools and software you love
• Coaches and mentors who have helped you succeed
• The blog post that earned you 100′s of comments
• Your proudest moment as an entrepreneur
• Times you’ve been in the spotlight
• Your secret sauce for success

So don’t believe it when someone tells you “bragging” is bad.  

It’s just the opposite – it’s good for business — and it’s essential to your success.

So …
If you could choose just ONE thing to “brag” about today, what would it be?

Post it in the comment box and let’s see how fast we can fill “The Brag Bag”!

I didn’t “ask for the sale” nearly enough times in 2011.

I didn’t stay laser-focused on making money this past year — BIG mistake.  As you know, without sales, you can’t stay in business.

Believe me, I don’t plan on repeating that mistake in 2012.

Does that mean I’m going to pitch, push, prod, and pounce on people at the turn of every corner?

No.

Am I going to include a promotional offer in every blog post and social media update for the next 365 days?

No.

Will I transform myself into an abnoxious unrelenting spammer?

Heavens, no!

But I do intend to work a lot harder on asking for the sale.

What will that work involve?

• Raising my level of confidence
• Acknowledging my expertise has value
• Charging what I’m worth
• Targeting the right people
• Testing new marketing platforms and modalities
• Getting my marketing messages out there in a bigger way
• Collaborating with colleagues for joint venture success
• Building more brand awareness
• Creating more Buzz!

Your turn …

1.  How do you plan to increase your sales in 2012?
2.  What was your biggest marketing mistake this past year?

Before the jolly bearded man in the red suit comes down the chimney …

I’m inviting you to participate in some Merry Marketing!

Do you have a special holiday offer you’d like to share?

Please use the comment box to post the link to your offer and a few details about the “benefits” of purchasing your product, program, or service.

Hope Santa is good to you this year!

**Note**
Please do not post any MLM or Direct Sales opportunities to join your company.  

Thank you.

In my previous post, I asked a pertinent question regarding social media engagement – “Are You Hitting The Reply Button?”

Truth is — most people aren’t.

I’d like to suggest giving that one a read first since today’s post is a follow-up.

One of my coolest ghostwriting online friends, Lisbeth Tanz, commented on that post by asking, “How do you get the attention you deserve?”

Before you can grab someone’s attention through engagement, you need to understand the meaning of life.

Not to worry. 

The explanation won’t go deep and I don’t intend to lay a lengthy woo-woo dissertation in your lap.

The meaning of life is people connection.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  We weren’t put on this earth to become hermits.  We’re here to connect.

So do ya think maybe that same concept applies to you as an entrepreneur and small business owner? 

You’re darn tootin’, it does!

So the next logical question is, “How do you engage to get the attention you deserve?”

It’s really pretty simple but most folks look at engagement online as a daunting, labor-intensive, time-sucking chore.  Too bad for them.

Let me ask you this first … do you know:

• At least three or four people online whose business, brand, and expertise you admire?  
• Entrepreneurs you trust and respect?  
• Bloggers whose posts you look forward to reading?  
• Facebook or LinkedIn group members who consistently share valuable tips you can implement right away?
• Small business owners whose virtual events you never want to miss?
• Publishers whose ezines you can’t wait to arrive in your inbox?
• Coaches, authors, public speaking and publicity experts whose work you recommend?
• Affiliate products and programs you promote?

Great!

You’ve got all the leading edge you need.  Your learning curve has come to a screeching halt.

You can now become a master at engagement and head right into the spotlight.

So how do you engage to get well-deserved attention? 

Drum roll please …

COMMENT (on people’s blog posts, articles, Facebook updates, Tweets, videos, interviews, podcasts, group member discussions, etc.)

COMPLIMENT (others on a job well done, special achievement or award, an artistic or creative talent, an outstanding speech, etc.) 

COLLABORATE (with fellow entrepreneurs on joint projects)

… period.

And when asked, for Pete’s sake, hit the “reply” button and answer your social media telephone!

Any questions?

The name of the game in social media marketing is engagement.

(It’s also leveraging, networking, offering valuable content, consistently showing up, and a number of other cool things but we’ll save those topics for a later date)

If you’re not engaging with your target audience, you’re simply delivering ineffective one-way communications.  

No fun talking to yourself, right?!

Without engagement, you may as well toss a handful of sand into the wind and see the results.  

Well, you probably won’t be able to “see” with all that sand in your eyes.

I subscribe to a lot of email newsletters.  Well, actually, too many of them and I’m sure they have support groups for over-subscribers like me. 

But …

I do have my favorites I totally enjoy reading and look forward to their arrival in my inbox.

Oftentimes I’m asked to hit the “reply” button when the author of one of my favorite ezines would like me to:

• Give my opinion
• Cast a vote
• Reveal my biggest entrepreneurial challenges
• Share an idea
• Suggest a topic of interest
• Or pose a question about something I need help with

And sometimes the message reads, “If you’re still alive and kickin’, please hit reply and let me know! I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Are you ignoring the requests and passing up the opportunity to engage with fellow entrepreneurs and online marketing colleagues?

Worth keeping in mind:

Expression is not just about communication; it is also about connecting and engaging with people.

Are YOU hitting the “reply” button?

Photo Credit: Paul Shanks