Are you using 1SC or AWeber but want to switch to a higher end, more automated system like Infusionsoft? For many, the biggest fear about moving your list from one system to another is that typically, you can expect to lose about half of your subscribers because of the double-optin requirement when importing lists into most email/autoresponder systems. Never fear! With Infusionsoft you don’t have to worry about losing a single contact on your lists when making the switch. You can use Infusionsoft’s built-in import wizards to import from AWeber, 1ShoppingCart, or Constant Contact with a single click. Or … import easily from a csv file without requiring a double opt-in. Read More→

We hear so much about branding and making a name for your business. But how important is it really? Can it actually make a difference in your business success? You bet it can! Keep reading to find out how.

Think back to businesses that have caught your eye in the past. What was it that drew them to you? What made you remember them? Oftentimes you can pinpoint that one thing that really stood out. Perhaps it was their logo or catchy tagline; a statement about their commitment to customer service, or even something as simple as their corporate colors. Whatever it was, it caught your attention and you remembered that business because of it. As you began to notice them more online or on Facebook and Twitter, you began to feel comfortable with them. The more you saw of them, the more you were convinced this was the company you wanted to do business with; and when the need arose, you contacted them. Now THAT is exactly how branding works. You build that recognition and then businesses want to do business with you. However, with branding it’s important to do it well.

Here are three tips to help you brand your business and become the company people remember: Read More→

Hands up, who likes to do PR and marketing for your business? I thought so. Not many. It’s one of those things that always gets put on the back burner and almost always gets done in the “extra” time we have (need I say more). That’s why it’s so important to make a PR plan and stick to it. Make a commitment every month and see how easy it can be to follow. Let’s start with article marketing. Read More→

Most businesses send out newsletters these days, but how many really see results? Real results! And isn’t that the main purpose of a newsletter – to get people stopping by your site or buying your products or services? Exactly! The problem is so many are doing it, but so few are doing it right. That’s why these tips should help you master your ezine marketing and help you avoid some of the most common marketing mistakes.

Here are the top three mistakes made in ezine marketing (and what to do about them): Read More→

January’s top tech tool is quickly becoming the rage among my peers and colleagues. In today’s digital age, there is often a need to send MP3 files, video files, PDFs and a host of other files back and forth to clients, team members, etc. Sometimes those files can be pretty wieldy because of their size, and it becomes more and more difficult to send them back and forth. In comes Dropbox! Dropbox allows you to share files of any size with as many or as few people as you want, simply and easily. It’s so simple and so convenient that it boggles the mind. All you do is sign up for a free account and start sharing. The system gives you the ability to share single files as needed; but what I find most beneficial is the ability to create and share individual folders with as many people as I want. All I have to do is drag (or copy) and drop the file(s) from a folder on my computer into the shared Dropbox folder and voila! The file magically appears in the Dropbox account of whoever I’ve shared it with. This makes it incredibly easy to share files with clients, committee members, team members, family, friends … you name it. It is especially useful for sharing files between my own computers and electronic devices like my iPad and smart phone. The basic Dropbox file is free; and each time you invite someone to join Dropbox and they open an account using your affiliate link, you get 250MG more space for your own account. Since Dropbox also has some paid accounts (I pay $9.95 a month for a 50G account, you can also upgrade to one of the paid accounts and use Dropbox as a cloud backup system that not only keeps your files safe and secure, but allows you to drag and drop those files from your desktop to your laptop to your iPad to your smart phone or any other of your devices. Like I said … it’s so simple and convenient that it boggles the mind!

We all know that marketing done right is amazing. Done wrong, not so much. That is why it is so important to build your business on trust and the value you offer. You build that trust with your clients by not taking advantage of them and always providing value. Value in the services you provide, value in the marketing you do, and value in going over and above what’s expected each and every time.

Growing a business depends largely on repeat business. Repeat customers are familiar, profitable, and most importantly, dependable. You can depend on them to keep supplying you with work and also to keep spreading good recommendations about you. That’s the building block to business success.

Here are ways to make sure you always provide value and always continue to build trust with your clients: Read More→

During our monthly team calls here at BizEase, we like to share new resources and tech tools we find useful or fun. On our most recent call, one of my fabulous team members, Lara Nieberding, recommended a great little tool for email: Boomerang for Gmail. But don’t let the name fool you, it’s available for Outlook users too! This tool allows you to move an email out of your inbox while you don’t need it … and then Boomerang will return the email to your inbox at a day and time you specify.

Lara explained that she uses Boomerang for all the teleseminar confirmations and call-in detail emails she receives on a continual basis. After she receives an email confirmation, she clicks on the Boomerang button and schedules the email to return to her email an hour before the teleseminar. Then, she deletes the email. She said using Boomerang has kept her email clutter free and has reduced the number of emails she hangs onto, which in turn makes search results faster.

Boomerang is currently publishing an email organization program. If you sign up, it’s free, you receive an email a day with a tip for organizing your email. Their emails have had some interesting statistics, too.

Here is the link to register: http://signup.reviveyourinbox.com/?lrRef=UuBnV

Did I refer to Lara as one of my “fabulous” team members? Well, I DO have a fabulously talented team! If you haven’t met them all yet … be sure to check them all out. They rock!

When it comes to a successful business it often boils down to this–sales, sales, sales. Whether you are selling your books or products, or promoting a speaking event or book tour, normally the bottom line in measuring success is how many sales you make or how many people show up at your event. The results themselves can be what determines whether or not you are successful.

Therefore, to get the best results, it’s important to focus on exactly how you’re driving those sales and where they are coming from. Ask those who contact you how they found you; was it through an ad, social media, or perhaps a referral? Knowing where your potential clients or customers are coming from is crucial. That tells you what you need to be doing more of in your marketing efforts and what areas to focus on. But just as important is making sure you take full advantage of each and every opportunity that comes your way. It’s so easy to do when you have your systems set up properly. Read More→

For those of you that use 1ShoppingCart.com as your all-in-one solution to streamline your email marketing and product sales, they have just released some new updates that are sure to please. One exciting new update to the 1SC system is the Broadcast Link Tracking system which tracks activity when your subscriber clicks on a link in your broadcast email. One thing to note, though, is that this link tracking system is available on broadcasts at present, but not on autoresponders.

Before sending your next broadcast message within the Email/Marketing section of 1SC, click on “Link Tracking” just under “Send Broadcast,” then choose either the “Track Clicks” or “Track and Segment for Follow Up” check boxes at the top of the broadcast. You can only choose one. 1SC will take any links you’ve included in the broadcast and replace each of them with a tracking link to track activity. This will not affect the final destination of your link, and the link will not change within your broadcast; it simply cloaks the link for tracking purposes. These trackable links work both for html AND plain text messages. (Note: With plain text messages, you must use a qualified link for the system to track it, e.g., http://www.abc.com/buynow. Once the broadcast has been sent, you can search relevant stats for analysis. I’ll expand on this more below.)

Read More→

Every good business owner understands that marketing is the golden key to business success. Whether it’s social media, blogging, podcasting, or an array of other methods, business owners must effectively market in order to build their businesses. The problem is marketing takes time … and often a lot of time. That’s why it is so important to market smart and market effectively to get the best results.

One great way to get more exposure from all your marketing efforts is to combine several techniques together. A simple way to do that is to integrate your podcasting and blogging. This enables you to make powerful connections for your brand and business. When combined effectively, each can play off the other, and result in a very effective, ongoing promotional PR campaign.
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