During a recent visit to a local restaurant, I went into the restroom to wash my hands, as I was drying off my hands, I noticed that on the mirror in the restroom was flier with  a list of the weekly specials. I had to laugh. All I could think of is, is this how this restaurant markets their business?

If I could talk to the owner, I would have asked him how effective his marketing is. I also would like to know why he thinks that marketing specials in a restroom is a good idea. But, not having access to the owner, I was not able to do that.

So, my questions is, if you hide your marketing efforts, how is it working for you? I remember when I started my business, I was afraid to tell people what I did. I soon realized that I was never going to get clients if I kept quiet. Believe me, I know it is easier to hide then step out boldly, but your perfect clients will never find you. As a social media marketing consultant, I would highly recommend that the restaurant owner spend more time marketing on the social media sites instead of hanging a flyer in the restroom. It may reap them more benefits and more clients.

Here are a few reasons why:

• Social media is free; the flyer I am sure was not.
• More exposure to your restaurant or business; the flyer in the bathroom doesn’t reach millions of people.
• Clients that may not of known about you before, may just find you without using your restroom!

Your homework is to step out and start something! Post to your social sites or start a blog, a conversation, a tip, engage with your clients and community and see what happens. Be bold and just do it!

Have a great week!

I have been working with WordPress for awhile now and it still surprises me  with all the features you can pack into your blog site.  I have built several sites for clients that have requested things that I did not think I could do, but I find a way and my clients are happy with the results. Now, that is important to me.

When a client asks me what website they should get,  I always recommend a WordPress site.  Because…

1. You can have a site designed for you that is customized to match your logo and brand matching everything perfectly.
2. You can add posts and pages easily, quickly and make them look awesome!
3. It easy to add features you want with Widgets and Plugins
4. You can add salespages with a simple program and make them shine!
5. And the best part? You can change your content whenever you want.  You no longer have to rely on your website designer to make simple changes or to place your new copy on your site.

So, if you think about it, having a WordPress site will save you time and money.

If you have been thinking about changing your website or starting fresh, consider a WordPress site.

Did that get your attention?  Social media can be overwhelming for most people.  They have no idea why they should use or how to use social media.   Many businesses and entrepreneurs use social media, but not always in the correct way.   Then they give up and say it doesn’t work.  Well, it does work if you do it right. The best way to use social media is by using your own voice and being authentic.  Yes, you do want to log in to personally communicate to your followers and friends frequently.

I did some testing recently.  Since my business is about helping my clients get their business brand on the social media sites, and maintaining a presence there, I realized that I have not been following my own advice and pretty much ignored my social media marketing.  Not good, I know, but it is like the shoemaker’s kids have no shoes!

I decided to start reusing Hootsuite, and Ping.FM and chatting with my followers and friends, re-tweeting and sending out emails and newsletters to my list.  I wanted to see for myself exactly how that would help The Social Media Queen’s business.  Well, the results are in, and you know what?  It works!

Not that I didn’t think it would, but here is what happened;

• I increased my followers on Twitter by over 1000
  I am receiving a lot more personal messages in Facebook asking about my services, or inviting me to be a guest on radio shows and teleseminars
  I am re-connecting to people I had been following and connecting with new people and businesses on both Twitter and Facebook
  My business is growing and getting more visibility

There are so many case studies out there, and I am sure you have heard a few, but when you see your own results, you start to believe in Social Media Marketing even more.   One case study I love to talk about is a Crème Brulee vendor here in San Francisco.   He tweets his specials and his location for the day, everyday.  He has so much business that lines form down the streets with people who want to purchase his Crème Brulee’s.  Now, this is a good case study for a very targeted niche, cream Brule only, and the power of social media.  I am sure he is thrilled with his results!

If you ever question why you should be on the social media sites, or that they are a waste a time, come back and read this post again.  You will find that if you market the correct way using social media, you will see increased business and of course more income!

We are at mid-January already.  Time sure flies when you are busy planning how your business and income will grow this year.   So, how is your marketing and business plan going?  Have you committed to taking the time needed to get your business plan set up to work effectively and consistently? If you are still in planning mode or not, here are a few more things to consider as you are plan your year.

1. Have you hired your mentor for this year? I have and am really excited to be working with someone I truly respect and admire.  I actually have 2 mentors, one is for the strong business planning and marketing and the other is for me to keep in real as I move through the processes.  I need both to make it work for me.  So, how do you find your perfect mentor?  One thing you want to be sure of is that they resignate with your dreams, desires and business goals.  You also want to be sure that they have been where you , and are making more money then you are.  It is so important for you to be mentored by someone way ahead of you in there business and not someone who is equal.

2. Have you joined a mastermind? And by a mastermind, I don’t mean a once a month check-in call, or a lesson with no interaction with the group or leader.  What I mean by mastermind is exactly how Napoleon Hill talks about masterminds in his book, Think and Grow Rich.  A true mastermind meets at least once a week, with everyone participating in goals, where they are stuck and support.  You also have to be accountable to the group and have them hold your feet to the fire if you don’t follow through.  It also works best if you have no more then 10 people in the group and that you have a true leader leading the mastermind.

3. Do you have your marketing strategies planned out? I know  a lot of entrepreneurs who fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to marketing their business, creating a plan or a step by step process to get from point A to point B.  Don’t make that mistake.  Take some time to plan out your marketing for the year and follow it.  If something is not working, then move it off the list and work on what is working.

And with everything you plan for your year, the best word of advice I can give you is CONSISTENCY! I find that most plans fail when we don’t stick with it long enough to see the reward.  You must be consistent and motivated!

To Your Success,

I am sure you are receiving tons of “Happy New Year” emails and ezine/newsletters in your inbox, because I am seeing them in mine daily!  The topic seems to be How To Make This the Best Year ever!  But my post today is more about your vision for your coaching business this year.

For years, I  have done a ritual called,  3 year visioning.  This is different then setting resolutions, or goals, it is more about what you see yourself doing in 1 year, in 2 years or in 3 years!  You also want to break it down into chunks.

The chunks that I break my vision into  is Family, Business, Spiritual, Self Care, Finances.  Once I have that written down, I sit in quiet and  vision what I want to accomplish in one year acting as IF I already have it.  So I write I am financially secure and have $$$ in the bank, and so on.  It is a great exercise and something I totally recommend to all my clients, friends and family.

Most of the time, you will find that at the end of the year that you are where you envisioned to be and you may even be at the 3 year vision!  It is really a great concept.  I don’t do vision boards and I don’t believe in chanting until my desires appear.   I do truly believe that you must move in action to get what you want and this helps set your mind on the right path!

And don’t forget as you are working on your vision for the next 3 years, make sure you include social media in your plan.  If you are tired or fed up in trying to keep up with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and all the other sites out there, drop me a email and lets chat.

Happy New Year!

Its that time of year when we all get busy. Busy with family, friends, colleagues, etc.  We have parties to go to, or have and we get  tired and sometime stressed out.  So,  maybe the last thing on your mind is your social media marketing campaign.  Who buys during the Holiday season anyway?   Well…..

Please don’t make that mistake or think that just because it is the holiday season that your clients are not buying.  This is the time of the year where your clients are starting to think about their business goals for 2010, and what strategies to put in place to grow, learn, move beyond blocks, finally resolve an issue, or step up and play bigger.  You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to be there when they need your services and your products to achieve their goal.

This is also a great time to give your current clients a discount on your products and service that you already have available to offer.    Call it a holiday sale, or end of year sale or get ready for 2010 sale!

The best way to keep yourself in front of your clients is by using your social media sites.   Spread the word by using your WordPress blog, Twitter, Facebook, Hub pages, articles resource box, LinkedIn groups, YouTube videos, and your ezine/newsletter!

You might also consider doing a teleseminar right now to tell your clients about your sale, new year offer or program that you are rolling out in 2010.   Like I said before, your clients are thinking about the new year and how to create, build or have a better business and life next year.

If you need help to step up your social media campaign, contact my assistant and make an appointment at renee@thesocialmediaqueen.com Let us help you make 2010 your biggest and brightest year!

Happy Holidays!

Janet

I am so excited to announce my new VIP Day!

I designed this program to work with clients who would like to quickly amp up their social media and Internet marketing strategies and would prefer to work from home, and not travel to meet with me.

We will spend 6 hours working together virtually on all aspects of your social media and Internet marketing plan. This is how it will work. We will put aside a day to work together in 30 to 60 minutes segments.  I will assign a project that you will complete, then we will meet again to go over your assignment and move to the next piece.  By the end of the 6 hours, you will have everything you need to move forward in your business with a plan and clear action steps to explode your business online.  This day is your day and will be customized to your needs.  This is  just a taste of what we will go over:

We will take a look at your website and  I will make suggestions on how to optimize it to build your list.

We will look at all the social media sites and decide which ones will work for you, then we will set them up right then and there.  If you already have social media sites set up, we will create a plan on how to make the most of those sites to get you more exposure and more clients.

I will then take the time to train you how to use your new tools so when you leave you feel comfortable with the process.

Then we will work on your marketing funnel, from creating your ‘taste tester ‘ free offer  and then working our way to the ‘big kahuna’

By the time you leave, you will have a plan of action and a blueprint for your social media marketing campaign!

I only want to work with people who are serious about getting their social media and Internet marketing plan in action, so there is an application to fill out.  Once I review your application, I will contact you and schedule our virtual day together.  To receive the application or if you have any questions please email me at info@thesocialmediaqueen.com I look forward to working with you soon!

To your success,

Fall is my favorite time of year, I love Halloween, fall leaves and sitting by a warm fireplace.  Halloween has always been a favorite holiday for me because I love getting my kids all dressed up and having fun.  It’s just a fun memory for me and I hope for my kids as well.  In tribute to Halloween, I downloaded a few “bat” icons made by a friend of mine, Kim Doyal.  She does amazing things with graphics.    Here is a sample:

I just got back from an awesome event in Los Angeles where  I met some wonderful people.  It was all about creating a WOW factor in your business.  I’m sure we all want to WOW our clients, but what does it mean to create a WOW factor in your business?

To me it means creating systems for every contact and sticking to it.  Its rewarding my client for working with me.  Its about how to be sure my core values are an extension of my business.  And much much more.   So, what do you want your clients to feel when they come in contact with your business?   I know I want my clients to feel that they are being listen to, that what they ask will be done if it is in my scope of work, if not, I refer them to someone I trust will take care of them the same way I would.  I want my clients to feel like they made the right decision by hiring me and that they no longer have to worry about their Social Media Marketing needs.

How about you?

Till next time…..Happy Fall!

I was talking to a client of mine about social media and the importance of it for her business and the subject of  in-person networking came up.  My client asked me if it was important to network outside of the Internet.    I said  yes! I realized at one point in my business, that it would be a good idea to go to local networking events.  And here is why.

My business is coaching others about Social Media and Internet Marketing.  I network on-line on Twitter, Facebook,  Linked-In, and other sites, but my target market is small business owners who do not know the power of networking on line, and need help to get started or to increase their on-line visibility.  My clients are most likely not on Twitter, Facebook or any other social media sites, or if they are, they are not actively marketing their businesses on those sites.  I decided to go to a local networking meeting and the speaker ask the group, ‘How many of you are using autoresponders’?  I was the only hand up in a room of 100 people. She went on to ask about social media sites and the same thing happened.  So, where are my clients?  In that room.  Lesson learned!

So here are a couple of tips:

1. Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings. If it is to get referrals, joint venture partners or strategic partners, you want to make sure the meeting you attend is focused on your target market.  Don’t waste your time with a room full of financial planners, if you are a financial planner.  Get the hint?

2. Make sure you ask open ended questions, and don’t focus only on how many  business cards you hand out and only talking about you and your business.  Ask the other attendees about there business first and really listen to what they are saying.  You will find that they will eventually ask you what you do.  Now it is your turn!

3. Make sure that when you are asked, what do you do? You have a very well thought out simple statement of what you do and why, and what makes your doing it special or different from others who do the same thing.  Make sure a 12 year old would understand it.  You don’t want to confuse them.

4. Follow through on all the contacts you made at the meeting.  Set up coffee or phone meetings to get to know more about that persons business and how you both can help each other.  When you get referrals, make sure you contact them right away.  Respect and honor the process and your business will grow.

Have fun!

My clients ask me about Twitter all the time.  They wonder why they should even bother adding Twitter into their marketing plan, and they want to know what the benefit of being on Twitter is.  I hear, ‘I just don’t get it’!

Well, let me tell you why you want to be on Twitter and what it can do for you!

First, Twitter is the new hot micro-blogging program that everyone is using.  It is very easy to use and because it is a micro-blogging program it will only allow you to type 140 characters.  So if you hate blogging, Twitter could be a good place for you to add updates about you and your business.

Companies like Zappo’s, Entertainment Tonight, and celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, John Mayer or using Twitter. Even Obama was on Twitter during his campaign and then later hired someone to do his Tweets for him.  You might think well that is great for them, they are in the spot light and its a good idea for them.  Well, it is also a great idea for you too!

There are a few FREE places where you can take your brand and expose it to millions of people and Twitter is one of those places.  It takes a few minutes to set up a Twitter profile and get started.  You will find that there are many people on Twitter who are your perfect client!  No matter what your business is, there millions of potential clients using Twitter.  You can find topics on almost anything when you do a search on Twitter and we will talk about that in a moment.

Another thing to keep in mind, and this is huge!  Where else can you tap into some of the most highly respected experts and add them to your Twitter friends list?  You usually have to do a Joint Venture with someone to access his or her list and getting that access is difficult.  With Twitter, you don’t!  Now think about that. You have access to millions of people that you normally could not reach and you have the ability to follow others in your own niche to see what they are doing and then tap into their clients by adding their followers as your friends.

I also use Twitter to follow what other people do on Twitter and learn how to market my business even better.  Now that is what I call kicking your marketing up a level!   I believe this is one of the best marketing tools out there for your business.

Here are a few tips:

1. You have to build your followers up slowly.  I recommend maybe 200 a week.  Once you reach 2,000, you can go ahead and amp that up if you would like.  Do a search in Twitter for your niche or under your topic of interest and follow those people.

2. Having lots of followers and following lots of people does give you a better marketing vehicle.  Make sure to follow those that you think would be interested in your services and follow those you want to learn from.  Of course sprinkle in some friends too, so they can find out what you are up too!

3. Have or create a custom Twitter background. You want your Twitter page to match your own brand! This will make you look more professional to others and they will recognize you right away if you use your logo, photo and colors from your website.  There are also some free sites that you can use to create a background, but they won’t look as nice.  Here is a free Twitter background site www.twitbacks.com or for a small fee, there is also www.tweetpages.com

4. Really think about your bio.  Make sure it is about you and your business.  This is important because when people look for others to follow they want to know who you are!

5. Make sure you have a nice photo of you on your Twitter page.  I do not follow people who do not add a photo; I just don’t feel that is professional if you know what I mean.

6. Twitter often, but don’t let it take up your whole day!  Don’t be shy, the Twitter stream moves FAST, so if you post the same thing 15 times a day, it won’t hurt your business  But, please remember with all social media sites, this is really about relationships, so take the time to throw in a few things about your cat, dog, the weather or whatever else you feel comfortable sharing.  Your potential clients want to know who you are, so it is important to post both personal and business Tweets.

7.  Twitter can be a time suck, so be careful.  I use a program called Ping.FM to send one post out to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Plurk or any other social media spot available!  Ping. FM is a great one stop shop but if you would prefer to schedule your Tweets, I recommend a great timesaver called Hootsuite, this free program will let you schedule tweets, and posts to your favorite social media sites.  Set it and forget it!

7, Have Fun!

s, please contact me at janet@thewealthchick.com and we can discuss how I might help you get up and running and Tweeting!

To Your Amazing Success,