5 Tools Every Mom Entrepreneur Must Have To Market Her Business Online
I've been hearing from so many women who want advice on developing and maximizing an online presence. I think the reason for this interest is that they recognize the benefits of marketing online. It's a way to expand your market from the East Coast to the West Coast, even overseas. It also makes you more accessible since your website is marketing you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The best thing about online marketing is that it allows you to create relationships with more people than you would normally come into contact with. As you know, people (especially women) do business with people they know, like and trust. Which is why in order to be successful, you need to communicate effectively online so people get a sense of who you are.
1. You Need Your Own Unique Website
To start with, I highly recommend that you have your own website. It doesn't need to be expensive but it does need to establish a relationship with your visitor - right away. Don't be generic in your approach!
For example, I've noticed a lot of mom entrepreneurs are in direct sales businesses that provide you with a "self-replicating" website. When I was just getting started with Melaleuca, I had a self-replicating website, but it was incredibly generic. Yes, it was a way to get in touch with me, but it wasn't a way for anybody to get to know me.
If you do have a self-replicating website, you can still create your own site. It can be something with a catchy domain name or it can just be your name. In fact, the two websites can work together. You can first direct people to your own personal website and that can then link them to your company's website.
"Come to this site to learn a little bit about me, who I am and why I do what I do. And by the way, click on this link to learn about my company's products and how I can support you in learning more about those products."
If you already have a website make sure it...
- Communicates who you are and what makes you unique.
- Is clear about the services you offer right on your home page.
- Reflects a design that integrates your style with what your target market likes.
Many people make a big mistake by investing a lot of time and money into creating a beautiful website and then they stop there. There are additional tools you need to utilize to maximize the benefits of your site.
What other tools should I consider to promote myself more effectively online?
Let me share with you a few effective internet marketing tools that you must be using if you want to generate business online.
2. A Facebook Presence is a Must
Facebook is a great place to maximize your results because there are so many people on Facebook - millions actually - who are there to do business. What are the benefits of using Facebook? A good presence builds your online visibility - people and search engines love it. It also builds your online credibility - by sharing information with others, creating articles and providing insightful comments you become recognized as an expert in what you do.
3. Become a Blogger
Blogs are great because they're very flexible. You can blog daily or weekly, you can post long or short blogs, you can be have informational posts or entertaining ones. A blog is a fantastic way to let your individual style and approach to business shine through. It's also a very interactive format so visitors can leave comments and/or questions for you to respond to. According to my SEO guy, a blog can be the easiest and most inexpensive tool to drive traffic to your website - another BIG bonus of blogging.
4. Develop Your Own Freebie
A freebie is at the core of your list-building strategy. Most people won't buy your product or sign-up for your service the first time they visit your site. So you want to persuade them into sharing their email address so you can add them to your list and continue developing a relationship. This freebie can be something as simple as a tip sheet or free report. We all have something we know that the average person doesn't and more importantly, it's something that our target market wants to know.
5. Sent out an Ezine Regularly
Once you have a list you need to communicate with them regularly to convert them into loyal customers. With an ezine (newsletter) you're keeping your company in your customer's mind on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. To maximize the value of your ezine send it regularly and make sure it contains content that's of value to them, not just information about you and your products.
So now you have my list of the basic tools for promoting yourself online. I've used them all personally so I know they work. They are also very inexpensive and easy to implement. This article is the first in a series about Online Success. The next article will provide more in-depth strategies for creating a website that sells.
The best thing about online marketing is that it allows you to create relationships with more people than you would normally come into contact with. As you know, people (especially women) do business with people they know, like and trust. Which is why in order to be successful, you need to communicate effectively online so people get a sense of who you are.
1. You Need Your Own Unique Website
To start with, I highly recommend that you have your own website. It doesn't need to be expensive but it does need to establish a relationship with your visitor - right away. Don't be generic in your approach!
For example, I've noticed a lot of mom entrepreneurs are in direct sales businesses that provide you with a "self-replicating" website. When I was just getting started with Melaleuca, I had a self-replicating website, but it was incredibly generic. Yes, it was a way to get in touch with me, but it wasn't a way for anybody to get to know me.
If you do have a self-replicating website, you can still create your own site. It can be something with a catchy domain name or it can just be your name. In fact, the two websites can work together. You can first direct people to your own personal website and that can then link them to your company's website.
"Come to this site to learn a little bit about me, who I am and why I do what I do. And by the way, click on this link to learn about my company's products and how I can support you in learning more about those products."
If you already have a website make sure it...
- Communicates who you are and what makes you unique.
- Is clear about the services you offer right on your home page.
- Reflects a design that integrates your style with what your target market likes.
Many people make a big mistake by investing a lot of time and money into creating a beautiful website and then they stop there. There are additional tools you need to utilize to maximize the benefits of your site.
What other tools should I consider to promote myself more effectively online?
Let me share with you a few effective internet marketing tools that you must be using if you want to generate business online.
2. A Facebook Presence is a Must
Facebook is a great place to maximize your results because there are so many people on Facebook - millions actually - who are there to do business. What are the benefits of using Facebook? A good presence builds your online visibility - people and search engines love it. It also builds your online credibility - by sharing information with others, creating articles and providing insightful comments you become recognized as an expert in what you do.
3. Become a Blogger
Blogs are great because they're very flexible. You can blog daily or weekly, you can post long or short blogs, you can be have informational posts or entertaining ones. A blog is a fantastic way to let your individual style and approach to business shine through. It's also a very interactive format so visitors can leave comments and/or questions for you to respond to. According to my SEO guy, a blog can be the easiest and most inexpensive tool to drive traffic to your website - another BIG bonus of blogging.
4. Develop Your Own Freebie
A freebie is at the core of your list-building strategy. Most people won't buy your product or sign-up for your service the first time they visit your site. So you want to persuade them into sharing their email address so you can add them to your list and continue developing a relationship. This freebie can be something as simple as a tip sheet or free report. We all have something we know that the average person doesn't and more importantly, it's something that our target market wants to know.
5. Sent out an Ezine Regularly
Once you have a list you need to communicate with them regularly to convert them into loyal customers. With an ezine (newsletter) you're keeping your company in your customer's mind on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. To maximize the value of your ezine send it regularly and make sure it contains content that's of value to them, not just information about you and your products.
So now you have my list of the basic tools for promoting yourself online. I've used them all personally so I know they work. They are also very inexpensive and easy to implement. This article is the first in a series about Online Success. The next article will provide more in-depth strategies for creating a website that sells.
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