Dare to Live in Freedom

If you hadn’t heard of educational based marketing before, you’re not alone. I’ve met hundreds of salespeople who had no idea there was new side of marketing that they haven’t explored yet. Oddly enough, most of these people don’t realize they’re experiencing educational based marketing. Every time they read a newspaper article, watch a paid advertisement, or attend a seminar they’re being exposed.

By now you’re wondering what methods of educational based marketing are available. There are certainly plenty to choose from, but I have a few favorites.

I love writing and sending regular newsletters. I usually accumulate tons of new information and use my articles as a way to share some of the things I’ve learned. I also answer general questions from clients and prospects, giving my readers some real life perspective. The newsletters go out via email to my subscribers, and I carry paper copies to give to those I meet at lectures and business events.

Develop a series of free educational materials. For example, someone who has picked up your newsletter might be encouraged to call your office to request additional information (perhaps a report or DVD). At that point, you’ll gather their contact information which you can later use to either send more information or to follow up with promotional materials.

Record a video or telephone call. People generally enjoy either visuals or things they can listen to while completing other tasks. Record an engaging video to post on the internet, or create a captivating phone recording that a Sales person or Manager can listen to as they prepare to meet prospects or address meetings. Make your educational material short and to the point.

Write a newspaper article. Write an informative article on a current hot topic and submit it to your local newspaper or trade magazine. Sharing information that is currently important to people, such as how to deal with rising gas prices or the economy, it’s much more likely to get attention than something that isn’t already a major focal point. Find an angle that makes it easy to relate your business to the topics at hand.

Always offer as much information as possible before you attempt to make a sale. Often, your prospects will see your contact information and visit your website to do some research of their own. In the end, you’ll spend more time answering calls asking for your services and less time trying to sell yourself!

If you hadn’t heard of educational based marketing before, you’re not alone. I’ve met hundreds of salespeople who had no idea there was new side of marketing that they haven’t explored yet. Oddly enough, most of these people don’t realize they’re experiencing educational based marketing. Every time they read a newspaper article, watch a paid advertisement, or attend a seminar they’re being exposed.

I've read from a Robert Kiyosaki book that those who are saving money are losing it. He goes on to say how those money should be invested in something like real estate, and the income from those would fund a business, and so on.

What he's really saying is that you shouldn't just put all your money in your bank, but you should invest it to earn more.

I was thinking how this is applicable to an online business. You might be focused on earning money in the present, but are you building your online assets that could give you passive (or at least easy) income in the future?

These online assets would include:

1) Your list of subscribers and customers. If you're not building a list, your online business is not on secure ground. By building your list and establishing good relationships with them, you could earn lots of instant money at the push of a button!

2) Your network (JV partners, affiliates, etc.) Talk with your JV partners from time to time about things other than business. It's easier to persuade them when you have established some sort of bond with them, other than only contacting them every time you need something.

Also, make it a habit to search for new partners to JV with. Promote for them first, and they'll be more likely to reciprocate.

3) Your personal web properties. This could be your own websites, domains you've bought, or anything else you have full control of.

4) Rent-free 3rd-party webspace. In the offline world, you need to pay rent for the office or store space. But in the online world, you could put your content permanently on 3rd-party websites... without paying a single dime!

You can put your content on content-sharing sites like squidoo, hubpages, qassia, wetpaint, google knol, etc. And of course, article directories like ezinearticles, goarticles, buzzle, etc.

You can put your videos in video-sharing sites like youtube, metacafe, revver, and a lot more!

The more content you create and post on 3rd party sites, the more passive income you stand to make!

What other online assets can you think of that are worthy of building?

You might be focused on earning money in the present, but are you building your online assets that could give you passive (or at least easy) income in the future?

I could share tons of tips and tricks for effective offline networking, but none of them would do you any good if you walked into a networking situation and did something to instantly create a bad impression. Here are five common mistakes I’ve seen new entrepreneurs make time and time again. Don’t let these things prevent you from growing your business.

1. Unprofessional email addresses. The username you created in high school commemorating your best friend or first love may have been cute back then, but it’s incredibly inappropriate now. If you can’t bear to let it to, create a second email account that you can use for networking purposes. I am much more likely to contact someone with a real email address, such as one that uses their name, than I am to contact someone who uses a ridiculous name such as TooCool4MyShirt.

2. Dressing like you’re ready to work in the yard. I don’t care if you are currently unemployed or if you’re self employed and regularly enjoy a casual dress code. When you attend networking events you should be dressed in a business professional manner and act respectfully. You have no way of knowing who you are going to meet, and it would be terrible to meet someone who might really need your services only to have him walk away thinking you are a slob.

3. Forgetting your business cards. I repeat, carry business cards at all times. Why would you waste your time networking with someone, only to find you can’t give them your contact information at the end of your conversation? The only thing you will end up telling your prospective contact is that you are unprepared. I guarantee that if you end up writing your name and email address on the back of a receipt or napkin it will be thrown away – probably on purpose.

4. Not having a real goal or purpose. Do not attend a networking event, or any type of business function, if you have no idea why you are going. You can’t just “meet people.” Are you networking to find a job, a potential joint venture partner, or a mentor? Perhaps you are simply looking for form a network of contacts so that you can refer your clients to others with unique skills. Knowing your own goals will make holding a conversation much easier.

5. Inability to LISTEN. As a new entrepreneur in a networking situation, it would benefit you greatly to listen to the advice of those you meet. More experienced marketers will often share advice, and they’ll remember you if you are receptive and polite. I’ve attempted to help a few new marketers, but those who act like they already know everything don’t impress me at all and I usually toss their business cards in the trash bin on my way out the door. Those who show genuine interest in what I have to say, and in themselves, are the ones I’m more likely to help.

Networking with others can be a scary experience, especially if it’s not something you’re used to. Relax, breathe, and remember to act professionally and respectfully at all times. The rest will come together by itself.

I could share tons of tips and tricks for effective offline networking, but none of them would do you any good if you walked into a networking situation and did something to instantly create a bad impression.

The following creative marketing ideas are specifically about finding new places and ways to advertise. This has always been an area ripe for new ideas. What prompted me to write this page is an article I recently read on a company called Show Media.

Show Media has advertising displays on top of 3,000 taxis in New York. They charge client (which include Levis, Nike and other big companies) $200 per month for each ad, and they pay $100 to the cab company. That leaves enough room for healthy profits. Founder Laurence Hallier says that a typical campaign, which would cost $40,000 per month for exposure on 200 taxis, is seen by 25% of the city's residents - each day.

That got me to thinking about what other creative marketing ideas and opportunities are out there in the area of advertising. The following is a short list I am coming up with as I write this. Some of these may already exist.

Street Signs - In these tough times, many cities are looking for additional revenue. Could placing advertising on street signs provide it? In addition to providing monthly revenue, the company that arranges this might have to make new signs for the city, saving it this cost.

Personal Car Ads - I know this is being done in some areas already. What is needed is a simple system. Have a place where a driver can pull in, have a sign attached to his or her car, and get a check for keeping it there for six months.

Kite Ads - In areas with consistent breezes it might be possible to have kites flying most of the day with large ads on them. Beaches are a natural location, but this may work in other places as well.

Sidewalk Audio Advertising - As people walk by certain locations an ad automatically plays. Advertisers could be charged by the number of times an ad plays (getting a good deal when more than one pedestrian happens to be there to hear it). Another angle here is to sell the units to specific businesses. A restaurant might have a recording that is triggered by each passer-by, saying something like, "Hello, come on in right now and you'll get a free drink with your sandwich."

Yard Sign Advertising - I'm not sure about the legality of this in most places, but many yards have signs supporting political candidates or announcing that some company just replaced the windows or did the landscaping, so why not have paid advertising? Residents get a monthly check for each sign, and advertisers pay twice that, leaving room for a profit for the company that does this.

Mural Advertising - This one might be an opportunity for a budding artist. He could find a building that is ugly and ask the owner how much he would want to have a nice advertising mural on it. Then he could find advertisers who will pay enough to leave him with a decent profit. The owner of the building might have to get final approval on the planned mural and agree to leave it there for a couple years.

Odor Advertising - Have the smell of fresh cooked food pumped onto busy sidewalks, alongside a sign or audio ad promoting a restaurant.

Advertising With Plants - Bushes could be trimmed into the shape of a company logo. Flower beds could be planted with logos or even in the shape of words for advertising. Cornfields near airports could have ads cut into them to be seen by plane passengers above.

Marketing Games - A company might get word-of-mouth advertising by making it into a contest or game. Participants sign up online and get a number which they give out with their recommendation. The person who has referred the most customers after a year wins a big prize.

DVD Ads - There is already advertising for other movies IN DVD movies, but what about on the box that the DVD comes in. I'm not referring to the one that it is sold in. Many movie rental stores have their own blank boxes that they send out all of their movies in. Could they sell advertising on those? It could be for local products or services (a restaurant, for example), or products available nationally.

Those are the ten creative marketing ideas that I could think of in the forty-five minutes it took to write this. You can probably add a few to the list with a bit of brainstorming.

A look at creative marketing ideas, specifically dealing with new ways to advertise.

Is the ability of the blogs to drive growth and traffic still in tact?
Well, blogs have taken an all new evolved form. A number of astute Social Media marketers have continued to use Blogs for businesses effectively, as traffic drivers.
A Blog is an integral part of any online marketing mix. It continues to provide a cost-effective push to businesses across the globe. But in a changed economic and market scenario how does a blog still help?
1. For starters it reinforces the knowledge base and insight of the company, which specializes in a certain area of business. The fact that information can be twisted in favor of the company’s business makes an end user explore more before taking a decision.
2. Content, coming from a trusted authority on the subject has the ability to hook information hungry people. Your corporate brochure (read business website) is more like a Salesman. Your blog is like a Counselor.
3. A blog helps tremendously for Search Engine Optimization (thankfully nobody questioned this being effective!). With blogs, critical updates about a new product or service do not require you to disrupt the structure of your website.
4. Consider your Blog to be your second property on the Internet. More number of sites you have the more business you are able to generate online.
5. Readers and participants of the blog form a niche community within your territory. These communities benefit you in the long run. Social networks are no doubt good, but you don’t own these communities.
What are some of the basics that need to be kept in mind while developing one –
1. As a blog is like a counselor, you need to be more subtle in your expression of thoughts rather than highlighting the achievements of the company.
2. Preferably, use a sub domain for a blog i.e. www.blog.yourdomain.com . This will help from the SEO point of view for both the blog and your website.
3. Ensure your information is Keyword rich (Density to be between 3-5%). It will also help get more engagements of your potential customer.
4. A faceless / nameless corporate blog is useless. Impersonal lacks credibility.
5. Promote your blog effectively through social networks. Viral marketing take over after a while if the content is interesting.
6. Encourage people posting comments. The more participative the blog is the more effective a community it becomes.
7. Make sure you are regular to post information on your Blog. This encourages people to keep coming back for more. The effort has to be continuous. Start with at least one post a month and then the creative juices flow as often!

Have blogs come of age with its new avatar and subtle clever techniques? Here’s how a new generation of blogs powering businesses and helping chart growth…