Here are three ways you can use your articles to drive traffic to your website:

1. Place your articles on other sites – As an expert, you can submit your articles to many different sites, not just our own. The process is simple. First, identify key websites for your topic of expertise. Then find out if they accept articles from other experts. Next find out if there are any submission requirements such as a preferred length of articles. Finally, submit relevant articles complete with your by-line and contact information.
2. Provide an opt-in e-zine newsletter – Newsletters are a great way to build your connection to customers and prospects. By providing relevant information on a consistent basis, you become a valuable resource for others. Make sure your articles give your audience the information they want and can put into practice. Your contacts are probably too busy for fluff or self-promotion, so make your content worthy of reading.

1. Offer special reports or free articles to generate publicity – Articles can be transformed into special reports or provided as a free offering to generate publicity for your company. Whether you offer the information as a bonus to people who purchase other products or services or submit your special report with a newsworthy twist for the local media, you can create opportunities to showcase your expertise.Each of these methods is great for building awareness and enhancing your credibility as a bona fide expert in your field. Put the power of the World Wide Web at your disposal by getting your information posted in multiple venues and you will soon have people flocking to your site.

   Laura Posey brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a “firecracker” who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations in an extensive sales career that has covered the gamut from insurance to cars. She is co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. Laura has completed her work on a second book, But I’m not a Salesperson; the Small Business Owner’s Guide to Generating Sales, and is hard at work on her third. Her driving mission is for each of her clients to earn a healthy six-figure income in less than 40 hours per week. She can be reached at Laura@dancingelephants.net or at 804-254-4122.

We are considering revamping our email strategy and I really, really, really want your input.

Currently we send a monthly newsletter with three informational articles. In addition, we send an announcement email and reminder for each event we conduct during the month (seminars, teleseminar, classes, etc.).

That comes to about 6-8 emails/mo for most of our clients.

We are thinking about doing a once a week email instead that would contain a very short article about some way to grow your business and, at the bottom, a list of all upcoming events.

That would mean just 4 emails/mo.

Would you please, please, please go to this link and let me know which format you prefer?

http://www.dancingelephants.net/Survey/NewsletterFormat.htm
It would be a huge help to us! Thanks!
Laura

Thanks a million!

If you are a typical salesperson, your title is likely something like “Account Manager” or “Sales Representative”. If you are a business owner, you’ll read “Owner” or “President” on your card.

Americans are obsessed with titles and labels. We like to be able to define people and classify them easily. That’s why your company gives you a title for your card; so they know what department you work in and so clients will also. As an owner, your title conveys that the buck stops with you. Are these titles holding you back, though?

Think about the job title “account manager” for a moment. As a customer, that tells me that I am an account to you and your job is to keep me in line. Not very exciting for me, is it?

The same goes for “Sales Representative”; you’ve made it abundantly clear to me that you work for the company and are an agent of the sales department. I’m not getting all warm and fuzzy about that.

What if your card said “customer caretaker” instead? How would my perception as a customer differ? More importantly, how would you approach me differently?

As an owner, if your card says “President”, that means to me, as a customer, that you are the most senior officer in the company. As an employee, it tells me that you are the one in charge of everything. Is that message you want to convey? And is that what you really do?

At Play, a Richmond-based consulting company, the top officer in the company uses the title, “In Charge of What’s Next” because that is exactly what his role in the company is. That is all he focuses on and he delegates all other duties.

When you talk to Andy Stefanovich, you’ll never be offended if he doesn’t personally service you as a customer because you understand immediately what he really does in the organization. His employees know not to expect him to deal with mundane details so they go to other members of the company for help with issues. This frees Andy up to work on the important growth initiatives in his company.

If you’ve met Hugh Goldthorpe of Owens Minor, you’ll know that “Head Cheerleader” accurately describes his role as the man in charge of employee morale. His job encompasses training, motivating and leadership development, but rather than be pigeon-holed in any of these departments, he is focused on the people he serves. His title demonstrates that.

We all live up to, or down to, our job titles. They become our identity and shape our behavior subtly but powerfully. You need just one interaction with our “Queen of Everything”, Lynn Bailes, to understand how important a title can be.

So, what will your next set of business cards say about you?

Laura Posey brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a “firecracker” who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations in an extensive sales career that has covered the gamut from insurance to cars. She is co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. Laura has completed her work on a second book, But I’m not a Salesperson; the Small Business Owner’s Guide to Generating Sales, and is hard at work on her third. Her driving mission is for each of her clients to earn a healthy six-figure income in less than 40 hours per week. She can be reached at Laura@dancingelephants.net or at 804-254-4122.

Here are three ways you can use your articles to drive traffic to your website:

1. Place your articles on other sites – As an expert, you can submit your articles to many different sites, not just our own. The process is simple. First, identify key websites for your topic of expertise. Then find out if they accept articles from other experts. Next find out if there are any submission requirements such as a preferred length of articles. Finally, submit relevant articles complete with your by-line and contact information.
2. Provide an opt-in e-zine newsletter – Newsletters are a great way to build your connection to customers and prospects. By providing relevant information on a consistent basis, you become a valuable resource for others. Make sure your articles give your audience the information they want and can put into practice. Your contacts are probably too busy for fluff or self-promotion, so make your content worthy of reading.
3. Offer special reports or free articles to generate publicity – Articles can be transformed into special reports or provided as a free offering to generate publicity for your company. Whether you offer the information as a bonus to people who purchase other products or services or submit your special report with a newsworthy twist for the local media, you can create opportunities to showcase your expertise.

Each of these methods is great for building awareness and enhancing your credibility as a bona fide expert in your field. Put the power of the World Wide Web at your disposal by getting your information posted in multiple venues and you will soon have people flocking to your site.

Laura Posey brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a “firecracker” who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations in an extensive sales career that has covered the gamut from insurance to cars. She is co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. Laura has completed her work on a second book, But I’m not a Salesperson; the Small Business Owner’s Guide to Generating Sales, and is hard at work on her third. Her driving mission is for each of her clients to earn a healthy six-figure income in less than 40 hours per week. She can be reached at Laura@dancingelephants.net or at 804-254-4122.

This week it was time to venture beyond my trusted Ukrops and go to Walmart for groceries. Now, you have to understand, I have a philosophical dislike of Walmart and all it does to local communities and suppliers. I believe in capitalism and Walmart’s right to do business as they see fit but I also believe in my right to object to their business practices by spending dollars elsewhere.

Having said that, I wanted to see if the Walmart experience has changed in the time since I’ve shopped in one. One way for me to value a buying experience is to describe in one word how a place makes me feel. My one word for Walmart this time was…..

“poor.” That’s how it made me feel to shop there.

The only reason I could see for shopping at Walmart was that perception that prices were low and that low prices were driving factor in making a shopping decision. Nothing about the store, its goods, its people or its environment made me feel comfortable, cared for or anything more than a commodity. I felt like I was just a nameless, faceless drone going from overcrowded, messy aisle to aisle, picking the least objectionable choice of produce and canned goods. I never saw a worker cleaning up the clutter or removing the questionably-fresh produce.

Contrast that to my normal grocery store, Ukrops, where I feel like I’m a successful person who has numerous choices of quality foods, a customer who is noticed and valued by the staff and an environment that feels welcoming and appealing. The produce is locally grown and fresh. The aisles are wide and well-lit and there are numerous service providers to keep things nice and offer assistance. They even carry my groceries to the car for me so I don’t have to worry about carts banging my fenders while I’m in the store.

In one word, Ukrops makes me feel pampered. And I’ll go back unfailingly, regardless of the prices.

So, what one word do your customers use to describe the feeling they get from you? If you’re not sure, maybe you should start asking.

1.  Focus on value. Make sure the e-mail offers a very clear benefit to the customer.

2.  Avoid sales hype. Use a “personal” tone in your e-mail messages without going overboard.

3.  Use a strong subject line. Use something definitive, with helpful information.

4.  Show your customers your authentic concern. Relationship is the key to repeat sales. “Letters” are much more effective at establishing relationships than “ads” or sales copy. The stronger your relationships with your customers, the less price-sensitive your market will be.

5.  Avoid the “illusion” of customization. People know when their name is just a mail-merge field. Careful use of customization/personalization is okay.

6.  You need to look at what is selling and you need to feature those items. And consider that the featured product is more than an offering—it is a proof of your value proposition.

7.  Specificity is the key to successful marketing. If your offer is specific to the needs of your customers, you will see a much higher conversion ratio.

8.  Describe your customer service. People are concerned about getting WHAT they ordered, and getting it ON TIME. Successfully address the needs and concerns of your customers.

9.  Use an incentive. Give customers a reason to click through to your website. Or give them a reason to increase the size of their order.

10.  Consider that the goal of an e-mail is not to sell an item. It is to get a click. Structure every word to get them to click-through to the page that is optimized for conversion. Optimize the e-mail to get the click; optimize the landing page to get the sale.

Laura Posey brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a “firecracker” who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations in an extensive sales career that has covered the gamut from insurance to cars. She is co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. Laura has completed her work on a second book, But I’m not a Salesperson; the Small Business Owner’s Guide to Generating Sales, and is hard at work on her third. Her driving mission is for each of her clients to earn a healthy six-figure income in less than 40 hours per week. She can be reached at Laura@dancingelephants.net or at 804-254-4122.

Have you heard of blogging? It’s a wonderful way to tap into the collective knowledge of leading experts and those who are down-in-the-trenches each and every day.

The word “blog” is short for “web log” and it’s a free-form way for anyone with a computer and an internet connection to communicate with anyone else. Look for blogs that are written by industry and topic experts. A great place to find interesting blogs is http://www.technorati.com. You can search by topic and find things that interest you.

If you would like to build a community of interested folks who seek you out as an expert, you should consider starting your own blog. Getting started is easy with step-by-step templates to follow. Check out http://www.typepad.com or http://www.blogger.com. You can take a quick tour and get started in minutes.

Once you’re up and running, you’ll want to make posts frequently (a few times a week) to stay high on the search engine lists. Posts can be short and easy. You can even write several posts and stage them to go “live” over a multiple day period. That way, you can keep things fresh without writing as frequently. One of the great features about blogs is that it’s very interactive. Your readers will post comments that you can respond to if you so choose. You can even choose to screen the comments from your other visitors or not.

I’ve been blogging for about six months now at http://smallbusinessadvice.typepad.com/my_weblog/
It’s a great way for me to share insights with clients, prospects and anyone else who wants to learn more about running a small business. In addition, readers can comment on the entries (called posts), initiate dialogue, and get answers to their questions.

One cool feature about most blogs is that you can add them to your Google, MSN, Yahoo and other homepages (just look for a link in the blog that says “subscribe to this blog’s feed”) and you’ll be notified every time there is a new post. It’s like getting a newsletter on demand.

Take time each week to read a few blogs and you’ll find that learning be easy and interesting too! If you are a blogger or if you have any blogs that you love, please e-mail me and let me know! I’ll include it in my blog’s recommended list.

Laura Posey brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a “firecracker” who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations in an extensive sales career that has covered the gamut from insurance to cars. She is co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. Laura has completed her work on a second book, But I’m not a Salesperson; the Small Business Owner’s Guide to Generating Sales, and is hard at work on her third. Her driving mission is for each of her clients to earn a healthy six-figure income in less than 40 hours per week. She can be reached at Laura@dancingelephants.net or at 804-254-4122.

Many salespeople think that the purpose of networking is to get prospects and make sales. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real reason you should be networking, if you want to ultimately make sales, is to create relationships.

Relationships are the most important element in good sales and networking is by far the best way to begin establishing strong relationships. It is a great way of prospecting that allows you face-to-face contact in an environment where the prospect willingly participates in the process.

At a networking event, the prospect has chosen to be there and is much more receptive to meeting new people than he is in his business when you just drop in for a sales call. This openness will allow you to begin the relationship-building process much more quickly and easily.

In addition, the face-to-face aspect of networking is also vital to creating a good relationship. Think about it – all of your closest relationships involve physical contact. Your friends and your family relationships are strongest when you are together in one space, rather than just speaking on the phone or emailing each other. It’s the same with prospecting. Your physical presence impacts the depth of your relationships with your prospects.

Once you have a prospect’s willingness to engage and his physical presence, how do you take it a step further and start the process of creating a lasting relationship? The answer is that you must give him something.

All great connections start with a gift. Your parents gave you life.  Your spouse likely gave you a drink or dinner on your first date. Your good friends might have given you an attentive ear when you first met.

It is no different with your prospects. You must give them something if you want to connect with them. That gift can be in the form of asking a question about them and listening closely to the answer. It could be finding out about their business and then offering to introduce them to a potential client. It could be sending them an article that will help them make more sales. You might introduce them to a valuable strategic partner. Or you might just make them feel welcome at the networking event and give them the comfort of having someone to talk to.

Whatever the gift, give it openly and with no thought of reciprocity. Give it because you want to help them and because you care about them as an individual. They will almost always return the favor and look for a way to help you as a thank you.  Their help will likely come in the form of interest in your business and helping you grow it by buying from you or referring you to a prospect.

As you network more using relationship building as a foundation, you’ll find that not only is it more profitable for you, but it is more fun as well. The pressure to sell is eliminated and you feel free to engage and connect with other human beings. In addition to new prospects, you might just find you make a few friends along that way.

And isn’t that what having fun selling is all about?
Laura Posey brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a “firecracker” who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations in an extensive sales career that has covered the gamut from insurance to cars. She is co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. Laura has completed her work on a second book, But I’m not a Salesperson; the Small Business Owner’s Guide to Generating Sales, and is hard at work on her third. Her driving mission is for each of her clients to earn a healthy six-figure income in less than 40 hours per week. She can be reached at Laura@dancingelephants.net or at 804-254-4122.

Think hard and I’ll tell you why that interaction can make you a fortune.

As you relive that buying experience, notice what is happening to you internally. Do you feel happy? Are you smiling? If you told that story to a friend, would you begin selling them on using the product or service you bought? Of course you would! In fact, what you’d be doing is making a referral and giving a testimonial all at once. What you’re doing is telling a love story from the customer perspective.

Now imagine what it would be like if your customers were telling those love stories about you. How would your sales grow if each customer became an evangelist for you?

The key here is that you want to get your customers telling love stories about you. Love stories are the most powerful sales tool you have, and used properly, they will get you raving fans and tons of referrals.

One of the best ways to get love stories from your clients is to ask them about their experiences. A simple phone call to ask “Customer, what was your best experience with our company?” will have your client retelling a story to you. Once they have told that story, they are much more likely to retell it to others.

If you don’t get a good story from your customer, you’ll know it’s time to do something to wow them. This is a great time to ask them about their best buying experience someplace else and what makes them really happy. You’ll find out what could make them gush about your company.

Take some time this week (and every week) to identify some customer love stories. It’s a great pick-me-up for you and it will make your customers happy when they relive their great experiences with you. If you have employees, let everyone take turns making calls and getting that love rush.

Oh, and while you’re at it, if you have a love story for Dancing Elephants, we’d love to hear it! We’ll be posting them on our website (with a link to yours) shortly.

Laura Posey brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a “firecracker” who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations in an extensive sales career that has covered the gamut from insurance to cars. She is co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. Laura has completed her work on a second book, But I’m not a Salesperson; the Small Business Owner’s Guide to Generating Sales, and is hard at work on her third. Her driving mission is for each of her clients to earn a healthy six-figure income in less than 40 hours per week. She can be reached at Laura@dancingelephants.net or at 804-254-4122.

Summer is a perfect time for client entertaining, especially if you invite the family along.  A company picnic is an inexpensive way to network and build relationships with clients and prospects. A few hamburgers and hot dogs, a badminton net and some horseshoes and you’re in business.

If the summer heat is too much for you, what about company day at the movies? You can often get matinee tickets in bulk for less than $5 each and treat your clients to a summer blockbuster. Or better yet, why not go in with a few strategic partners and rent the whole theater? You can spend your evening introducing your clients to your partners and vice-versa.

If movies aren’t your thing, what about inviting clients to any one of the myriad local festivals in your town? Here in Richmond we have a festival every weekend it seems and that is a great way to show clients a good time. If you really want to make a splash, give each participant a company t-shirt to wear at the event. Imagine the impact you’ll have with 10, 20 or even 50 people at an event with your company logo on their back! That’s good marketing!

Don’t let summer put a dip in your sales. Use the beautiful weather and the kids being out of school to your advantage and you’ll soon see summer as the best prospecting season of all!