Small Business Branding » Vera Raposo

SBB Small Spark Contest 2010: Maximize Your Time

Vera Raposo — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 23:43:54 +0000

Maximize Your Time with Guest Bloggers

When you operate a blog, with or without the online business to go with it, it takes up a lot of your time. Readers want fresh content on a regular basis. Sometimes it is hard to keep up with their voracious appetite unless you have help.

Blogging Help

Seek out writers for your blog. Think of it as another writing project. If you are familiar with ghostwriting services, you can hire writers to write posts for you that you can then publish yourself. With this type of help, you are asking a writer or writing service, to provide you with content for your website or blog. The credit goes to you for the work.

Finding a guest blogger is different from outsourcing blog content. With guest bloggers, they are getting a chance to write for your blog but with the posts being credited to them. You’ve got a few options about how you approach a guest blogging situation.

1. You can look for an ongoing contributor who blogs on a regular basis for your blog. Some contributors will blog for free as long as you’re giving them credit and helping them with their own blog or website promotions.
2. You can hire a writer to write for your blog (this will require payment, especially if you’re looking to claim the content as your own). For a certain fee, you can assign them topics and ask that they write one or two blog posts per week. Usually one is enough unless you are truly busy and need more to fill the space.
3. You can ask other experts in your field to post occasionally to help relieve some stress from having to post yourself all the time. Most of these guest bloggers will oblige and do not require any more than a link or two to their site or products in their posts.

Benefits of Guest Bloggers

Now, you can breathe a little easier. You want to keep your blog fresh and new but there don’t seem to be enough hours in the day at times. A guest blogger can take that pressure off of you so that you can devote your time to other needs:

• Marketing
• Networking
• Administrative Duties

As long as your readers stay happy, you can rotate a guest writer in and out to provide them with interesting content. Guests can also respond to reader comments and build a relationship of trust with your audience. If they have their own traffic from their sites, you have a chance to impress their readership when they come to read the posts. They can also browse your work and take an interest.

At the beginning, you may have to review posts and schedule their publication just until you feel comfortable with the writers and their styles. Once you see they do a good job, let them publish their posts immediately or schedule them without your help. This will go a long way in saving you time.

The first time that you don’t have to write several blog posts over the weekend or in your wee spare time, you won’t want to go back. How long a writer will blog for you depends on your needs, but the extra time may lead you to make it an ongoing thing.

Besides the fact that you are benefiting, so is the guest writer. They gain a reputable forum for their work, possible networking opportunities and greater visibility.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Challenge 2010: Guest Blogging Can Sap Your Energy if You’re Not Careful

Vera Raposo — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:44:52 +0000

Guest blogging means that you are writing blog posts for someone else. It may be that they asked you to do it and they are paying you. Or you are living out your dream of writing for a high-profile blogger who can get you noticed. Either way, blogging for others can become a drain on the creative juices.

There are advantages to writing blog posts for others:

•   Exposure (the good kind)
•   Name and brand recognition
•   Business opportunity
•   Chance to write on new topics

This is only a few of the reasons. But, when you decide to guest blog, be sure that there is time in your schedule to do it. As a business owner or the owner of a blog, you already have a long list of responsibilities.

If you are a parent with an online business, you are also juggling family life. Blogging can take a lot out of you. It is not easy to call up those creative urges on demand. With your own blog, you are familiar with the niche enough that you can write intelligently with minimal research if you needed to.

For guest blogging, you have to bring your “A” game. First of all, you are trying to make an impression on the owner. You do want to be invited back don’t you? Getting a sense of another’s “voice” does take practice. If they give you a list of the types of topics they would like you to talk about, you have to have time to do the preparation.

Keep Everything Balanced

While guest blogging is important for the four reasons listed at the beginning, so is your business. With so much time going into the posts for another, your own work can suffer if you’re not mindful. Your own readers and clients won’t let that slide and they shouldn’t have to either.

If you decide to endeavor into guest blogging, remember a few things:

•   Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Keep your posts at a manageable number.
•   Don’t commit to more than one blog at a time.
•   Schedule time to write your posts and those for the guest blog (you may need to let your blog go for a couple of days in order to write enough posts to schedule for the weeks you will be blogging elsewhere.)

If you want to guest blog, go ahead. It’s a great way to stretch your writing muscles. But, while you are stretching, don’t overextend or your visitors may feel the pain.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Challenge 2010: Use Your Bio to Create Quality Backlinks when Guest Blogging

Vera Raposo — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:00:25 +0000

Search engines not only look at the keywords on your website and in your content but the types of links that are connecting you with others. Use your bio to help increase those quality links when you decide to guest blog for others.

Guest blogging gives you a chance to interact with other audiences. You have your own readership and they like your voice. But maybe others just haven’t found you because you are in a smaller niche market or you are more general and they are reading in a specific niche. Blogging for others can bring you both together.

When you blog for others, you will get a space for your bio. Now, they don’t want to draw traffic away from their website or blog so you may only be allowed to mention one website. Use that chance to the fullest.

Within that bio, what you say is just as important as the website link that you add. You have one chance to impress them enough to get them to click on the link and visit your website or blog. Mention facts about your business and yourself that will catch the reader’s attention.

What you are hoping to do is build backlinks. Backlinks are the inbound links coming into your website from other places. You don’t want just anyone linking back to you but someone who is interested in the same things.

Guest Blog for Whom?

Choose who you blog for very carefully. When you get the invitation or while looking for possible guest blogging spots don’t just do it for the money or because you are flattered to be asked. Check them out. If their website is reputable and based on a similar topic, you could have a winner.

Even money is not worth a bad association. Let’s say that you are asked to guest blog for a friend. They own a business in Internet marketing. Your blog talks about home-based Internet businesses. There is a commonality here that can work to your advantage.

When you include your website link in the bio, you know that those clicking on it are at least interested in Internet marketing. Some of them could be business owners, who visit your site and will trade links with you. Your readers who take advantage of the online business ideas will need the help of an Internet marketer to get their business growing.

Such quality backlinks help you in the networking arena and on the search engines. You are now being noticed by others who find your business worthy of their time and their name.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Contest 2010: The Naughty Blogging Guest

Vera Raposo — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:37:06 +0000

It is every blog owner’s nightmare that they will let the devil in the front door. Everyone who wants to blog for you is not right for your blog. But, when the naughty blogger comes to visit, you’ll have to smooth things over with your audience.

You are a blog owner who wants to find guest bloggers. It could be because you need more time to attend to the other areas of your business. Or, you are looking for ways to increase your traffic. A new voice on the blog can stimulate growth and give faithful readers new reasons to love you.

Even if you use certain measures to choose your bloggers, there are chances that a bad apple will slip through the cracks. Actually, they may have a popular blog or have come to you on the recommendation of someone else. What may spurn the naughty behavior is not the post itself but the comments that go along with it.

All guest bloggers have a chance to interact with the audience. When comments are made, they can respond back. Now, everyone is not going to like your guests, but what you are shooting for is an open mind.

Guests who post also have to watch their comments on the blog as well. These are your readers and new visitors who are posting comments. When the guest blogger gets out of line with their responses to irate comments or makes irate comments, there will be backlash – for you.

What to Do?

When readers are angry, they will let you know in no uncertain terms. If you have a suggestion area on your website or blog, they will use it. While you monitor your blog as much as you can, something may slip through.

1. When you notice the incident, make an immediate post. Let your readers know that you are handling the situation and are sorry for any comments that may have offended them.
2. Pull any scheduled posts by that blogger. You don’t want readers to feel you don’t care by letting this person continue to post.
3. Talk with the naughty guest blogger. Were they having a bad day? As a business person, you are held to different standards. They may be personally offended by something someone says in a comment but can’t let it get the better of them. The guest also can’t use their posts as an open forum for stating disagreeable positions that may offend that blog’s readership.

You can plan for most outcomes, but in the event that a guest blogger irritates your readers, damage control is important. Be proactive and go to your readers instead of waiting for them to come to you.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Contest 2010: Flex Your Writing Muscles through Guest Blogging

Vera Raposo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:30:59 +0000

Writing is one of those activities that only get better with practice. Maybe you are a fair enough writer for your online content or blog, but you can always improve. Writing about a variety of topics for others gets those creative muscles working again.

Many writers have written on a number of topics and in a number of media before they decided on the one they liked. If your business is writing, then in the interest of expanding your skills, guest blogging is a great way to do that.

Guest Blogging

Guest blogging is when you write blog posts for others. It’s like being a guest on a late night talk show but with less name-calling and bad jokes. Blog owners won’t just choose anyone for their guest spots, so you must have done something right if they are asking you.

Now, it’s time for you to impress by writing what they need with your voice. If you are writing on a topic that you don’t have much experience with, you’ll need to start from scratch.

1. Do your homework. If you are running a general gardening website and another business owner asks you to blog for them on daffodils, you may have some work to do to become thoroughly familiar with that flower.

2. Follow any instructions to the letter. The blog owner may give you the blog post titles. Within their word count and the context of the title, deliver a product that will meet and, dare we say, exceed their expectations. If you have questions, ask them before you get started.

3. Read past blog posts for hints on style. Of course you are a fan of the blog for which you are writing. You like the posts, but now you will reread them to see how they layout their information and get to the point in such a short piece.

4. Write a rough draft. You probably stopped that a while ago for your own website. You are so acquainted with the material that you don’t have to. But, for someone else, write without editing and then go back and fix it until it is the way you want it to be.

If you are used to writing longer pieces of content or reports, a blog post is a nice change of pace. The tone is usually more conversational and fun but with an emphasis on the facts. It is a new style but one you may want to adopt to create your own blog for your business.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Contest 2010: Choose the Right Guest Blogger for Your Needs

Vera Raposo — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:34:25 +0000

You have worked hard to build your blog audience. It may be an extension of your online business. The blog is where customers and other visitors can pick your brain and find out about products and so forth. Maybe it’s time to branch out and ask others to post to give your readers some variety.

Variety is the spice of life they say. If you have gained a following on your blog, the readers more than likely love your voice. But, other bloggers can add another dimension to your site. Here is an example.

Let’s say that you have an online craft business. You have expertise in the field, but maybe you want to expand your knowledge base into other aspects of crafting. Having followed other blogs, you have found sites that specialize in things like doll making, miniature building and the like. Asking them to blog for you can be just what you need.

You can gain the knowledge you seek from your guest blogger. Come up with a list of possible post topics for them to write on. Each one can cover a topic you wish to learn more about. If you don’t know what topics to choose, take a poll on your blog to see what devoted readers want to learn more about themselves.

With ideas in hand, the next thing to do is choose a guest blogger. You can decide on more than one if you like. However, if this is your first time, I suggest inviting just one to see how they work out and how your audience reacts to their posts. Here are a few tips for you to proceed:

• Choose someone in a similar but non-competing position.
• Be sure they run an honest blog or business (not the antagonistic type, always causing controversy).
• Check to see if the potential guest has positive feedback from their own readers.
• Find someone whose style you are familiar with and like.
• If you’re giving them topics, they should agree to write about (and have some knowledge on) the topics you choose.

You don’t want any surprises here. Anyone blogging for you is attached to your reputation. They may be well-known in some circles, but not necessarily to your readership. By letting them post, you are telling your fans that they are okay. Remember your readers already trust you, don’t give them a reason to stop now.

Some people don’t think about that crucial point. Let’s say that your writer wants to write on their choice of topics. Something they say elicits negative comments from your readers. As a result, your readers may become leery of your judgment and leave the blog.

It won’t happen all at once like that, but it can happen. One way to head off such a potential problem is to let your guest writers upload their posts to have them published pending your administrative review. Don’t just give them free reign to go in and publish their posts immediately. Take the time to read over what they have written before you put it out there for the world to see.

Having others guest blog for you is a great way to give readers a treat. Just be sure the writers you choose are worthy of your audience.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Winner!

Vera Raposo — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:32:13 +0000

The winner of the February Challenge is Jeric! Congratulations! Be sure to email me at vera @ smallbusinessbranding.com within 3 days. Now onto the March challenge…Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Contest 2010: Networking

Vera Raposo — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:48:58 +0000

Networking Opportunities Made Possible by Guest Blogging

Just like in the offline world, sometimes it is “who you know” that counts. In online business, there are many ways to network with other business owners. One way is through guest blogging.

You are building your business and making your mark in cyberspace. As a complement to your business, you start a blog. It is a place where readers and customers can interact with you, find out about new product offerings and get business information.

Networking is important for business owners. You can find new partners for business ventures, resources for upcoming product launches and ways to increase your visibility. Those who you give a chance to may turn around and offer you a helping hand one day.

There are two facets to networking through guest blogging:

• You as guest blogger
• Guest bloggers on your blog

You as Guest Blogger

Through your work, you make contact with suppliers, clients and other business people. Everyone that they know is a potential new contact for you. One of your clients or those in your business circle may ask you to guest blog for them. If you know the person and their reputation, this may be a no-brainer.

With their influence, you are opening yourself up to a new audience of business owners and other readers who can be of use to you. Always bring your best work to a guest spot just as you would on your own site. You want to be remembered (in a good way).

• Interact with your audience. Ask questions in your posts that they can respond to via comments. Answer comments with advice and a friendly voice.
• Add a website or blog link to our bio box so interested readers can find you.
• Post links to the guest blog posts on your website to interest your readership. This builds trust and expert status.

Guest Bloggers on Your Blog

Finding the right guest blogger is not easy. Getting the cream of the crop is even harder, especially if you are not well-known. Even so, only extend the invitation to those that you trust and have read their work.

• Ask friends who have blogs or online businesses and clients with expertise to blog for you. They can give your readers a new insight into what you do. Besides, you are also bringing their readers to your place for a look see.
• Set down ground rules: No foul language in posts or comments. Stick to the topic assigned. All work is to be reviewed before publishing. A bad incident could get you labeled and cause the larger, more influential bloggers to shy away from you.

Networking is needed to get your name on everyone’s screen. Use both sides of guest blogging to make your own networking opportunities with those who can benefit from a reciprocal relationship.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Challenge 2010: Visibility by Blogging for Others

Vera Raposo — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:29:11 +0000

There are people in the Internet business scene who are “big names.” When they are mentioned, others stand up and take notice (where is E. F. Hutton?). You can use their influence to gain a higher visibility in your business arena.

All sorts of people visit blogs. They are not just people who see a catchy headline and stop in for a peek. Successful business people, offline companies, moms and others from different spheres of influence are reading, commenting and taking notice of who posts on their favorite blogs.

This is good for you. Here’s the scenario: You are a business owner who wants to stand out from the crowd in your niche. Let’s say that it is virtual assisting. One of your favorite blog owners gives you a chance to guest blog for them.

You know the style of the blog and add your own personal touch. Through your solid advice and personal insights, some of that blogger’s visitors approach you about business opportunities. Even the blog owner may like you so much so that he or she offers to partner with you on a project. Others file your name away until they decide that they are ready for VA services. In the meantime, they follow your blog.

It is a win-win situation in the making. But, don’t stop at one blog guest spot. Trade on the name of that first influential blogger to garner other spots. Suddenly, your traffic increases as your loyal followers tell others about you. Before you know it, people are going to want to appear on your blog!

This scenario puts everything in a neat little box. It will require some work, but it can be done. In conjunction with your other marketing strategies, guest blogging can put your name out there in even more places.

Guest Blogging for Those Who Have Their Own Blog

Now, let’s say that you are a blogger yourself already. Can you see some of the benefits of posting on someone else’s blog yet? Guest blogging gives you a chance to stretch those writing muscles and expand your niche, or find a new niche that you didn’t see before.

If you sell advertising on your blog, guest appearances can net you more people who are familiar with you and want to buy space. That means more money in your pocket. You may even decide to go beyond the blog and create a business website or join affiliate programs to also boost your income.

So, what are you going to do when you become a household name? The sky’s the limit for you and your business as long as you take care of the relationships that you are forming.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Contest – Build Your Brand With Guest Blogging

Vera Raposo — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:31:45 +0000

Blogging is such a big business these days. It is a great way to communicate with other business people as well as customers or even just friends. As an online business owner or professional blogger, writing for others can get you noticed and build your reputation.

What is a brand? It is your unique stamp. With big product companies like Pepsi-Cola or Nike, it is their trademark product and tag lines. But, they didn’t start that way. No one knew who either of them was or that they were solid products until they were marketed and that brand reinforced with endorsements and such from people we did know.

So, how can guest blogging help? Well, first of all you have to have a blog or website of your own. You can’t establish a brand unless you have a place to showcase it in the first place. It may take a while, but your blog can establish a loyal following you can count on to follow you other places.

Bloggers are smart people. They will know if you are just after them for their name. Before you approach them with your request (probably one of hundreds more popular bloggers get), get involved in their blog. Post comments on a daily or weekly basis. Pose thought-provoking questions.

All of this shows that you are attempting to understand what has made them such a valuable brand on the Internet. Also, they get to know your “face” as it were because you are always around. The only thing that works better for a new blogger trying to establish them self is nepotism (and it is always welcome!).

Okay, so there is one thing that is almost as good – offering free services. If you ever want an endorsement for your brand later (and you will), offer the blog owner a free product or a trial of your services. Doing so is a courtesy that will pay off for you in the end.

Writing for another blog gives you a chance to talk about other topics in front of a new audience. If you talk about the guest spot on your own blog, many of your loyal fans will pop on over for a look see. And, through your bio blurb, the existing audience on that blog will know where to find you. This is not to steal their readership but to share it since you are not necessarily in a competing market.

In an effort to put your stamp on the world of Internet business, try guest blogging. When done correctly, you can gain increased traffic and new business connections that will serve you well into the future.

THE CHALLENGE

Go through the key things and make sure it’s the absolute BEST that it can be. I’m not perfect either, I’m going to go through my own and decide what is best. It’s not a hard challenge.. and I will be giving you ideas the entire month on how to better your blog’s exposure. So let’s get started…

THE CHALLENGE DETAILS

It’s not hard, just a small spark!

Contest starts March 1st, 2010

1) Make a List of 10 blogs you’d like to guest post at

2) Guest post at least ONCE this month

2) Put out a call to readers to guest blog on YOUR blog – Add at least 1 guest Author post to your blog

3) At the end of the month post a comment on your success!

4) Want to do more? Just post in the comments WHAT you will do.

Oh and feel free to post the Small Spark Button onto your website to spread the word.

PRIZES

The Monthly Winner Will Receive:

Report & Checklist – You will get a free copy of the report & checklist so you have your plan in place
Articles - 2 Custom Written Articles for your website or blog from All Custom Content
Virtual Assistance – 30 Minutes Virtual Assistance – to get your articles listed in some directories and added to your site with Christina Lemmey from MultiMediaVA.com
Branding Session – 30 Minutes Branding Strategy for your Business with Ed Roach from The Branding Experts
A Monthly Product from Melissa Ingold
Graphics - Professional Button for your site from Nola Cooper Classic Creations Design
PLR – Private Label Rights Pack from Alice Seba & Mila Sidman All Private Label Content
Free Access to Membership Site Intensive by Kelly McCausey & Lynette Chandler
Bonus: Vera will donate $50 To The Monthly Charity
Bonus: 1 Month Direct Email Coaching from Vera
Bonus: Vera will run for 20 minutes to get healthy and run a more effective business, I may even record it so you can witness the craziness.

THE WINNER

To win, all you need to do is apply the task and then post a comment to how it actually worked for you. I will then turn each month into a report and checklist for purchase which will include exclusive ideas and my own notes on how I fit it into my business each year.

1) Winner will be announced on March 31st, 2010

2) You must email me at vera @ smallbusinessbranding.com within 3 days to claim your prizes

3) Enjoy your prizes!

Good luck to everyone, I hope you utilize the month of March to implement just one small spark into your business.Similar Posts:

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Frequency of Your Emails

Vera Raposo — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:40:03 +0000

One of the most common questions people ask me about email marketing is, “How often should I email my subscribers?”

Well, for that there is definitely no one-size fits-all answer. Some publications are suitable for daily email, some will do well several times per week, once per week or even once per month. But in all honesty, I wouldn’t recommend once per month as you’re probably losing your marketing oomph. We already talked about it, but if you’re doing a longer publication (and that may be one reason why you email less frequently), you’re not keeping your reader focused on your message because your sending too many messages at once. As a general guideline, you can often get away with shorter, but more frequent emails and you’re likely to boost your response. Test it out and see.

And even though I said there is no one-size fits-all answer, I do have some recommendations:

Write with some regularity: Now I’ve never been one to say you must email on a precise schedule as is common advice in email marketing. Sure, you can keep your schedule rigid if you want, but it can just add unnecessary stress. If you don’t have time to email on a particular day, don’t lose sleep over it. Send it the next day or when you can.

Note which days your readers seem more responsive: Your readers may be more responsive on some days than others. Do a little testing to see when they are more likely to open and act on your emails.

I have recently changed to daily email, and I do tend to email on certain days. I also give my readers a heads up when an important/useful email will be coming their way. This really helps me keep a conversational tone to my emails. I do what I can to mimic the way a friend would email a friend and friend’s don’t always email on a certain day. They email when they have something to say and may indicate when they’ll email next time, but they rarely follow a rigid schedule.Similar Posts:

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Ideas, Opportunity & Excitement All Happen When You Think Outside The Box

Vera Raposo — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:36:16 +0000

Do you ever think, “I wish I’d thought of that?” Chances are you have. We have all from time to time recognized a great idea for its value, and of course wished we’d been the one to have the idea. The truth is, you can have great ideas of your own. All you have to do is think outside of the box.

What does outside-the-box thinking mean?

Inside the box is where we live 99% of the time. It’s where the rules are. It’s where our habits, beliefs and limitations keep us. Inside the box is safe because it’s what we know. We can therefore predict with a certain level of certainty, the potential success of any thought or action inside the box.

Outside the box, it’s a free-for-all. There are no rules, no limiting beliefs and no preconceptions. It’s total and wonderful chaos. When we allow our thoughts to travel to where there are no rules or guidelines, where anything is possible, the world opens up. This is where true innovation happens, creativity inspires us and growth has a chance to occur.

What was once impossible

The internet was definitely an outside-the-box leap. Someone took the concept of linking computers together and the idea grew. Where would you be today without the internet?

Airplanes wouldn’t exist either. When you think about what those Wright Brothers conceived, it is both mind-boggling and inspiring. At the time the only things that flew were birds and kites. Who could imagine that you could put thousands of pounds in the air and keep it up there for hours?

Now think about what outside-the-box thinking could mean for your business

Innovation is really the only way to really grow a business. And innovation doesn’t mean you have to create the next life-changing invention. Outside-the-box thinking means pondering the possibilities of what could be, without restrictions based on what is. Outside-the-box thinking can be:

A new perspective on how to perform a task
A new way to market or sell an opportunity
Finding a new value for a product or service
Forging a new partnership
And of course creating a new product or service

When you allow yourself to think outside the box, your business opportunities really take off.

How to think outside the box

This is actually the hard part, because it’s difficult to know where to start. One place to start is to identify problems and then brainstorm solutions – the more absurd the better. Make a game of it and try to come up with 50-100 potential solutions. This will challenge you to get creative with your answers. Many of them will be downright ridiculous. However, if you step back and take a look at your solutions and examine your assumptions and why you believe they’re ridiculous, then you may come up with a new and innovative way of doing things.

Outside-the-box thinking can be an invigorating and motivating practice. Add it to your regular planning sessions and watch the inspiring and creative ideas flow.Similar Posts:

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Networking: It Does Motivate You

Vera Raposo — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:06:14 +0000

As an entrepreneur you may hear a lot about networking and wonder what all the hubbub is about. Networking, both online and off, is a wonderful way to build connections in your industry. It’s a great way to increase awareness for your business and to build your customer base and ultimately your profits.

And you probably know that already.

What you may not know is networking is also a great way to motivate yourself.

Networking exposes you to other business leaders, entrepreneurs and motivated individuals. Even if you don’t have a single competitive bone in your body, when you network online and offline, you’re going to be inspired by the energy, ideas and productivity you see in those around you. It’s actually a great reality check.

It gives you the unique ability to mingle with like-minded individuals who may have a different perspective, a different experience or a different story than you do and have achieved success.

Networking also forces you to stay on your game. If you’re putting forth the effort to network, and it’s recommended that you do, you’re going to have to be at your best. When you communicate with people, you want to put your best foot forward and make a positive impression. When people ask you what you do, you want to be ready, willing and able to give them an informational and inspirational elevator pitch.

Because you just never know when you’re going to meet your next great business partner, a superior customer or one of those coveted Paul Revere types of individuals who spreads news faster than CNN. Meet a Paul Revere type of individual, get them excited about your business, and you’ve just launched your business into a whole new game.

Networking is usually a scheduled event, so it accomplishes two things. It motivates you to be prepared before you head to the website or event. And it makes you put some serious thought into how you present yourself both online and off. Networking forces you to think about your business, where it’s going, what your future plans are, and how you want to be perceived.

For most people, networking with other successful people inspires their competitive spirit. We see other successful people and think, “If they can do that, so can I.” We hear great ideas, product launches, marketing tactics and business strategies and we think, “I can do that better than they did!” or “I wonder if I can achieve more sales and profits than that?” Competition is very motivating!

Finally, networking both online and off (though online networking can be done in your pajamas with unruly hair and unbrushed teeth) makes us feel and act more professionally. Though there are some people who forget that and behave badly online and off. For the most part, the simple act of being a professional makes us feel more professional. We start to feel less like a person who works at home in their pajamas and more like a business person, an entrepreneur, a CEO.Similar Posts:

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Free Business Resources for You

Vera Raposo — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:10:05 +0000

I’ve had a wonderful morning although the two teenagers are home studying for their exams this week so I’ve had to share the computer today (my laptop died about a month ago and my second computer is now dead.. time for a new one).

Anyhow, I just wanted to share these awesome free business resources with you.

East Tech, this software is normally $49 but is free until Jan 31st, 2010 – it Securely and permanently erases unwanted data.

http://tinyurl.com/yzy5ajb

Quick Books Simple Start:

http://tinyurl.com/4junwp

Photoshop Alternative (free download):

http://www.gimp.org/downloads

Data Recovery if your Computer Crashes (like mine did ooy!)

http://www.easeus.com/giveaways/drw

expires Feb 1st, 2010

Creates partitions on your hard drive:

http://tinyurl.com/ybg9rn7

expires Feb 1st, 2010

If you haven’t joined us yet, we’d love to have you participate in the Small Spark Contest… it’s not hard, just a small spark:

http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/1859

PS.. wonder how I get access to these great downloads? I don’t scurry the net, (too busy for that) I use ONE trusted resource.Similar Posts:

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SBB Small Spark Contest 2010: Building Relationships With Subscribers & Customers

Vera Raposo — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:42:59 +0000

Very few people understand the tremendous value in their list. Very few people get that. They think they do, but they really don’t. They see it primarily as a list of “potential customers”. Your list is so much more than that. It’s an entity of its own. It’s a machine that just needs you to treat it appropriately and set it into motion.

There are many, many ways to make money from a list without sacrificing your integrity or the well-being of your subscribers.

Every Subscriber Counts

You’ve heard the term that the money is in the list. However, many business owners take that to assume that the bigger the list, the more money they’ll make. This may be true, yet what may be more important than having a large opt-in list is using it well.

If you have a list of 1000 names and 10% of them become customers, that’s great – that’s 100 customers. Yet if you have a list of 250 names and 50% of them become customers because you’ve taken extra measures to make sure they’re treated well, then that’s even better. That’s 125 customers and a group of loyal and valued subscribers.

People buy from businesses they like and people they can relate to. They also buy when they feel appreciated, part of a group, and when they feel the need to reciprocate. By making each and every subscriber feel important and valued you make the very most of your list, regardless of the size.

Here’s how to make sure every subscriber feels important.

Use your subscriber’s name – In every communication you have with your audience, make sure you personalize the message. Dear subscriber,” is very impersonal and won’t create the same connection as something like “Dear Anne.” There are applications that can personalize your email and autoresponder messages or you can do the coding yourself, or hire someone. The point is, find a way to send personal messages to your subscribers. The little details matter and it begins with getting their name on your communications.

Reward your subscribers – Consider analyzing your list and sending special promotions to those who click through often, make purchases or forward your information to others. Some people subscribe to a list just to get the free information you’re offering. They may give you an email address they don’t access often or they may just send all your communications to their junk mail box.

However, other subscribers will be interested in your information. They’ll click though to read your content, they’ll download materials from your website and they’ll express an interest in your products and services. These subscribers are valuable because they’re on the cusp of making a purchase. Taking great care of these subscribers is important. And designing special offers and promotions for them is a great way to make them feel special.

Connect with them personally – Another way to make your subscribers feel special is to take a break from marketing to them and instead include them in your business. You can ask their opinion, give them the opportunity to contribute to your content by writing guest posts or asking questions. You can offer them contests and sweepstakes and give them first dibs at new products or services.

Finally, always be sure to thank your subscribers. Gratitude is wonderful; it’ll change your life and it will let your subscribers know you’re a businessperson who has their priorities in order.

Email Business Writing Etiquette

As the world becomes more and more hurried, it seems that etiquette falls by the wayside. But keeping the rules of business letter writing alive and applying them to your email communications is a great way to present yourself in the most professional light possible and to make your clients and associates feel respected.

Here are a few tips to write professional and polite email business letters.

The salutation and greeting – Remember when you were in school and learned how to write a letter? The first thing you learned was the salutation – the “Dear so and so.” While “Dear sir,” isn’t likely to be the greeting you use in an email, you do still want to include a salutation. Common salutations, if you are communicating with this person for the first time include:

Dear,
Hello,
Thank you,

Grammar for a salutation will include a comma after the salutation or a period at the end depending on the greeting. For example, “Dear Anne,” or “Thank you, Anne.”

Complete words and phrases - While it’s common to use acronyms or text speak like LOL and TTFN, don’t. This is appropriate for friends and family, not for business associates. Even if you become friends with your customers in general keep the use of acronyms to a minimum and even then use them only after your customer or associate has.

Use spell check and proper punctuation - It takes five seconds to hit the spell check button on your email toolbar. If you have frequent misspellings and poor grammar you’re making an indelible impression on your associate or client that you may not be able to remove. Do your best to put your best foot forward in your email communications. A quick spell check and grammar check just tells your client you take the time to communicate effectively and correctly, you’re a professional and your communication with them is important to you.

Keep it short and to the point – respect the time of your associate. That doesn’t mean you jump right into the meat of your email; a friendly sentence or two to inquire about how the person is doing or to introduce yourself is professional and courteous. However, it’s also important to get to the point of your email as quickly as possible.

The closing - Finally, once you’ve wrapped up what you have to say, it’s time for the good old-fashioned closing. Sincerely is considered a bit too old-fashioned in this day and age, but the following are quite acceptable:

Regards
Best
Best regards
Thank you

When writing an email to a client, prospect, or business associate, it is important to make sure you present yourself in the best light possible. That means spending a little extra time on your communications and following a few simple email etiquette rules.

Key Things You Need For Your Subscribers

An opt-in form
Copy to sell Your Sign Up Form
A Thank You Page
A Gift For Joining
First Follow Up Message

Are you Beyond Doing The Above?

Start setting up your autoresponder to be ready to go for the full year. Plunk in 52 messages, one per week.

THE CHALLENGE

THE CHALLENGE DETAILS

It’s not hard, just a small spark!

Contest starts February 1st, 2010

1) Choose ONE aspect of your email marketing that you’d like to improve. Your messages, fixing your thank you page, creating a new resource for subscribers, etc.

2) Post here in the comments below WHAT you are going to do

3) At the end of the month post a comment on your success!

Oh and feel free to post the Small Spark Button onto your website to spread the word.

PRIZES

The Monthly Winner Will Receive:

Report & Checklist – You will get a free copy of the report & checklist so you have your plan in place
Articles - 2 Custom Written Articles for your website or blog from All Custom Content
Virtual Assistance – 30 Minutes Virtual Assistance – to get your articles listed in some directories and added to your site with Christina Lemmey from MultiMediaVA.com
Branding Session – 30 Minutes Branding Strategy for your Business with Ed Roach from The Branding Experts
A Monthly Product from Melissa Ingold
Graphics - Professional Button for your site from Nola Cooper Classic Creations Design
PLR – Private Label Rights Pack from Alice Seba & Mila Sidman All Private Label Content
Free Access to Membership Site Intensive by Kelly McCausey & Lynette Chandler
1 Free Month Access to Your Own Private Conference Room from Ken Chandler Meeting On Now
Bonus: Vera will donate $50 To The Monthly Charity
Bonus: 1 Month Direct Email Coaching from Vera
Bonus: Vera will run for 20 minutes to get healthy and run a more effective business, I may even record it so you can witness the craziness.

THE WINNER

1) Winner will be announced on February 28th, 2010

2) You must email me at vera @ smallbusinessbranding.com within 3 days to claim your prizes

3) Enjoy your prizes!

Good luck to everyone, I hope you utilize the month of February to implement just one small spark into your business.Similar Posts:

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7 Quick Ideas For Your Ezine

Vera Raposo — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:15:37 +0000

The first month of our Small Spark Contest will focus on your ezine (newsletter) for your subscribers and your customers. Due to some recent events happening right now in the industry I need to add this information along with what I already have planned.

The Small Spark Contest will begin February 1st, 2010. But since we’re getting ready to talk about email marketing for the first topic of the contest I wanted to give you some ideas on how to come up with good topics for your ezine.

Ezines are a great way to keep in contact with your opt-in list. The trick is to continually come up with content that provides value and inspires your recipients to open the email newsletter and read the content. The trick, then, is to come up with exciting ezine topics. Here are a few suggestions to inspire and motivate you.

IDEA #1 Check your testing and tracking data to see which newsletters have the highest open rates. And see if there are any commonalities in the articles in each of those popular newsletters. You may find your audience really enjoys reviews or list articles and then you know that those types of content are exciting to your prospects and you can repeat that content in future ezines.

IDEA #2 Look at controversy going on in your industry. Whether your niche is fashion, gossip and entertainment or accounting and finance, or somewhere in between, there is always some sort of controversy brewing somewhere. Use that controversy to draw attention to your ezine, inspire open rates and generate a buzz in your community.

IDEA #3 Check out your forums, blogs, and social networking sites to see what people are talking about. What common questions or comments do people have and how can you spin that into an exciting article?

IDEA #4 Write lists. In almost every single industry, people love to read lists online. They’re easily consumable, infinitely valuable and you can even print them out and use them as a resource for the future. Consider writing a list type article for your next ezine and evaluating the results. Does your open rate increase? What about your forwards and downloads?

IDEA #5 Review products or services. Like lists, reviews are extremely valuable and they can also help you generate income if you’re an affiliate of the product or services you’re reviewing.

IDEA #6 Comment on late breaking news. Ezine articles can be written and scheduled way in advance however they can be edited and changed on the fly. That means when there is late breaking news in your industry or news that affects your customers and prospects, you can write about it and include it in your ezine.

IDEA #7 Finally, a great way to generate exciting ezine articles is to ask your readers what they want to know. Go directly to the source and ask them what they have questions about, what they’re interested in and how you can help them. In fact, you can print their question and then answer the question so your readers get to be included in your content. Kind of like a Dear Abby format, be sure to get their permission to print their question and use their name.

Exciting ezine content doesn’t have to be difficult or challenging to come up with. Take a look around you. What’s happening that’s relevant to your audience? What content do they respond to and how can you better help them solve their problems?Similar Posts:

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Let’s Get Rid of Procrastination

Vera Raposo — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:15:44 +0000

Before we get into our very first Small Spark Challenge I’d like to talk to you about procrastination. Plain and simple, it sucks.

One of the biggest challenges to being self-employed and owning your own business is getting over time management procrastination. It’s just so easy when you’re the boss to let things slide until it’s an emergency and you must absolutely get the task done. Here are a few tips to get out of this habit and start being productive today, not tomorrow.

Challenge yourself to something achievable but challenging. Sometimes we procrastinate because the task seems too large to manage. For example, you have an information product to create and just don’t know where to start. Rather than putting “create information product” on your task list, break the project up into several smaller steps. The first one could be, “Outline information product” or “Choose title for information product.” These smaller, more attainable goals are easier to accomplish and don’t feel as if they’re looming over your head.

Reward yourself (with a day off). Work hard, play hard is the cliché, right? Well take advantage of it. Make a to-do list at the beginning of the week and promise yourself a day off, where you do something fun, when the list is complete.

It’s easier to commit to this reward if you involve other people. For example, if you make an appointment for a massage on Friday, well you had better have your task list done by Thursday night or you’re going to have to cancel on your masseuse and she’ll never book you an appointment again for cancelling at the last minute. You’re making yourself accountable.

Identify distractions – Find out what you procrastinate with. Do you watch television? Run errands? Surf the net? Facebook? Determine what distracts you. Spend a day or two working, or procrastinating, like you usually do and simply take note of what you do other than work.

Eliminate distractions – Once you know what you’re using to procrastinate then it’s time to get tough. Eliminate the distractions. For example, if you find that you often let household chores deter you from being productive, schedule a time for household chores. Give yourself thirty minutes at lunchtime to get a chore list completed and then go back to work.

Use tools to help you – Time-tracking tools, both online and off, are great for helping you stay on task. You can for example use something as simple as an egg timer. Set it for thirty-five minutes. Work for thirty-five minutes and when the timer dings, give yourself ten minutes or so to stretch, walk around the block, put away the clean dishes or something other than work and then go back and set the timer again.

Get creative with these tools and ideas and use them to help you stay on task and stop procrastinating.

Up next… Your very first challenge.Similar Posts:

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SBB Presents – Small Spark Contest 2010

Vera Raposo — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:15:59 +0000

Do You Have Just ONE Small Spark?

I’m inspired! Are you? Getting the word out about your business doesn’t have to be a big huge task… all you need is ONE spark to get it going and before you know it, it’s grown into something massive.

I’m inspired this year to not only share some easy stuff you can do to get the word out about your business but I’m making it into a FAB contest!

I’ve named it the SBB Small Spark Contest 2010. Not only will you be able to develop your business online easily but you’ll be also a part of something much bigger… I want to help you grow your business but I also want to reward different charities throughout the year.

Each month we cover something productive to do for your business online (ie: email marketing, build traffic, content series, etc). Each participant is required to follow the task for that month. At the end of each month we pick 1 winner who will receive a teaching product that will help them expand on what they’ve learned.

Then each Quarter we will pick from the monthly winners who we feel did the best job of completing the task. At the end of the year in December there will be a final winner picked from all of the Quarterly winners who will be named our Small Spark Champion!

It’s a Challenge, It’s a Contest, It’s a Mission! Are You With Me?

Everyone who participates in the Challenge are welcome to display this button proudly on their website!

Monthly Winners – Your 1st Assignment is Just Moments Away…

The Monthly Winner Will Receive:

Report & Checklist – You will get a free copy of the report & checklist so you have your plan in place
Articles - 2 Custom Written Articles for your website or blog from All Custom Content
Virtual Assistance – 30 Minutes Virtual Assistance – to get your articles listed in some directories and added to your site with Christina Lemmey from MultiMediaVA.com
Branding Session – 30 Minutes Branding Strategy for your Business with Ed Roach from The Branding Experts
A Monthly Product from Melissa Ingold
Graphics - Professional Button for your site from Nola Cooper Classic Creations Design
PLR – Private Label Rights Pack from Alice Seba & Mila Sidman All Private Label Content
Free Access to Membership Site Intensive by Kelly McCausey & Lynette Chandler
1 Free Month Access to Your Own Private Conference Room from Ken Chandler Meeting On Now
Bonus: Vera will donate $50 To The Monthly Charity
Bonus: 1 Month Direct Email Coaching from Vera
Bonus: Vera will run for 20 minutes to get healthy and run a more effective business, I may even record it so you can witness the craziness.

Quarterly Winner – March, June, September, December

Each quarter the winners will be hand picked by our team from the pool of monthly winners, we will research online into their tasks and see what they’ve completed. The Small Spark Winner will also be able to display the Winner Button proudly on their website.

The Quarterly Winner Will Receive

Report & Checklist for the Quarter – You will get a free copy of the report & checklist so you have your plan in place

5 Custom Written Articles for Blog from All Custom Content
1 Hour Virtual Assistance with Christina Lemmey from MultiMediaVA.com
30 Minutes Branding Strategy for your Business with Ed Roach from The Branding Experts
A Product from Melissa Ingold
Professional Banner & Button For Your Site from Nola Cooper Classic Creations Design
Private Label Rights Pack from Alice Seba & Mila Sidman All Private Label Content
Complete Access to Easy Article Marketing with Kelly McCausey & Nicole Dean
Bonus: Vera will donate $50 to Charity
Bonus: 1 Month Direct Email Coaching from Vera
Bonus: Vera will run for 20 minutes, and do 10 push ups to get healthy and run a more effective business, I may even record it so you can witness the craziness.

Year End Winner December 2010 – This is the Small Spark Champion of taking ACTION for your business!

The year end winner will be selected from the Quarterly winners and are required to submit a 400 word article on what they managed to accomplish this year for their business, lessons learned, and how they are moving forward into the next year. The Small Spark Winner will also be able to display the Champion Button proudly on their website.

The Year End Winner Receives

Every Report & Checklist for the Year
24 Custom Written Articles for your Blog or Site from All Custom Content
5 Hours Virtual Assistance with Christina Lemmey from MultiMediaVA.com
1 Hour Branding Strategy for your Business with Ed Roach from The Branding Experts
A Product from Melissa Ingold
Professional Logo, Banner & Button for your site from Nola Cooper Classic Creations Design
Private Label Rights Pack from Alice Seba & Mila Sidman All Private Label Content
The Entire Blog Mastermind Course from Yaro Starak
1 Full Year Multi Domain Website Hosting from Kelly McCausey’s Reliable Webs
Bonus: Vera will donate $200 to Charity
Bonus: 6 Months Direct Email Coaching from Vera
Bonus: Planning Guide for the Next Year
Bonus: Vera will run her very first Marathon to get healthy and run a more effective business, I may even record it so you can witness the craziness.

Don’t let 2010 go by without doing ALL you can for your business, your life & your family!

Sincerely,

Vera Raposo

PS. Would you like to promote our Contest? Just grab these buttons and banners, link them to

http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/spark & place them on your website.

PPS. Would you like to donate a prize? Just email vera (@) smallbusinessbranding.com.

This Months topic…. Email Marketing! Get ready your challenge starts in just a few days!

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It’s A Brand New Year, Enjoy These New Year’s Messages!

Vera Raposo — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:39:49 +0000

This year I know is going to be a GREAT year! I absolutely love reading certain blogs and the New Year’s messages that they bring. I’d like to share with you a few posts that I’ve been enjoying myself over the last couple of days…

Yaro Starak – Did You Focus on What You Really Wanted?
Lynette Chandler – Best Tech Investments of 2009
Melissa Ingold – Marketing Plan for 2010
Darren Rowse – How to Make $30,000.00 a year blogging
Lynn Terry’s – Year end Note (hey she was frustrated this year too!)
Alice Seba’s (Contentrix) – Five 2010 Content Trends
Small Biz Trends – Make A Contract With Yourself for 2010
Entrepreneur Magazine’s – 15 Predictions & Trends for 2010

These are literally my “virtual hangouts” when I’ve done all my work and feel like browsing around and reading. I do have a few more but they didn’t have “New Year” messages. I also have something pretty cool in the works for this New Year and it’s going to help you and your business big time! Even my Pastor at our church shares a New Year message the first Sunday of every new year.

There’s some practical things I’m preparing for you… I can’t wait to share….

PS. whoops, almost forgot mineSimilar Posts:

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Will you harness these two important aspects of success this year?

Vera Raposo — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:10:33 +0000

Entrepreneurial Success = Commitment & Discipline

Do you ever wonder what separates highly successful entrepreneurs from the average person? There are a few key ingredients that are essential to attain the kind of success you’re striving for. Now you’re probably thinking this is another article about passion.

It’s not.

Passion is good; however, it isn’t enough. Passion has to lead to something more. Passion has to lead to action and in order to have the wherewithal to take action you need to have these two key traits:

Commitment & Discipline

Let’s take a look at them individually.

Commitment

Commitment is defined as:

The act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself

A pledge or promise; obligation: we have made a commitment to pay our bills on time

Engagement; involvement: you have a sincere commitment to something

Commitment comes from having a focus on what you want to accomplish and the wherewithal to see it through despite any obstacles, challenges or hurdles you must overcome to get there. Commitment can exist because you have passion for your topic and goals. However, commitment can also come because you have no other alternative. Often, people are committed to a goal because they must succeed, there’s simply no other option but to see it through.

Commitment will help you get through the difficult parts of owning a business. It’ll motivate you to enhance your strengths and to improve your weaknesses. It’ll help you strive for excellence and continue pushing to grow and prosper. Commitment, however, isn’t a stand-alone quality. You can have commitment for success, but only when it is paired with discipline do you have a winning combination.

Discipline

Discipline is defined as:

Activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training

The rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc

Behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control

Discipline is getting on the treadmill every day because you want to lose those last four pounds even though you dislike running on the treadmill. Discipline is working on those business-building projects you dislike, because you know it’ll get you where you want to go. Discipline is the action part of the commitment and discipline equation.

Is it possible to cultivate commitment and discipline?

Acknowledging that commitment and discipline are required to achieve great success is easy enough, but actually embracing commitment and discipline as part of your personality, philosophy and way of life is a bit trickier. The reason experts and coaches often talk about passion is that with passion for your business, goal and industry, commitment and discipline almost fall into place.

When you enjoy what you’re doing, being committed to success and disciplined to accomplish the tasks to see it through are much easier – in fact, they’re almost effortless. However, when you don’t feel passion and joy for your business, commitment and discipline are a struggle. They’re like getting on that darned treadmill; you have to force yourself to do it.

You can of course take steps to find other things to motivate yourself like money, prestige and freedom. But, it won’t be nearly as fun as if you also enjoy your business.

Will you harness these two important aspects of success this year?

I’d LOVE to hear what you’re doing to make sure you discipline and commit yourself to your business this year!

Photo courtesy of Belmont.eduSimilar Posts:

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