Lessons From The Best Marketing Books of All Time

If you don’t ward off competition your small business will be left in the dust. Your business needs to stand up and stand out! Take charge with article marketing.

You have something totally unique to your business: Your Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. Employ your talents with the written word. Article marketing is hot right now. It is a wonderful tool to gain a reputation as a subject matter expert. Articles can also increase website traffic.

Many entrepreneurs are jumping on the article bandwagon. Many site owners are crying for submissions. But here’s the deal: everyone can write articles. However not everyone should. Let me repeat that: Not everyone should write articles.

Just as a poorly constructed website will hurt a business, poorly written articles can do even more damage. Websites don’t always have a name attached to them. The public doesn’t know if you created the unprofessional site or if someone else created it. However with articles, you’re attaching your name to it.

Many so-called authors don’t even realize that their work is horrible. In attempting to promote their business they inadvertently damage their own credibility. Plus they just don’t look very intelligent. Below are some common mistakes:

Run on sentences: Try to keep sentences to fifteen words or less – the fewer the better. You won’t hold the reader’s attention otherwise. I’ve seen some with thirty, forty and even fifty words or more in one sentence. That is one sure fire way to lose the audience.

Long paragraphs: Keep it to three or four sentences maximum.

Too familiar: It’s good to speak in a conversational tone. You should write like you speak – but don’t get carried away. Using phrases such as “let’s look…” or “We just talked about…” is too cozy. Minimize the use of pronouns.

Misuse of words: Spell check is a wonderful tool but it won’t always pick up context. There and their are often not used correctly. Other errors often used are lay/lie, saw/seen and many others.

Before submitting articles anywhere, have someone else review it. Pick someone who will be objective and honest. Family and friends tend to always respond in the positive. If it is truly a horribly written article it is better to find out before it lands on the World Wide Web!
By Laurie Ayers

Eco-chic isn’t just a trend; being kind to the earth has an enduring effect that will last much longer than your current trade show displays. Although going green is a great idea for all aspects of life, it’s also a great selling point for current clients and new customers alike. When you show them how green your company is, they’re more likely to want to buy from you. The key is to take small steps to become more ecologically responsible, and then think of creative ways to show that at your trade show exhibits.

Eco Consciousness Begins With Packing Your Trade Show Exhibits

One of the most wasteful parts of a convention is the amount of packing material used in the shipping process. Although shipping can be hazardous for any unit, the waste generated by unpacking and doing nothing to reuse or recycle the materials is much more hazardous to the environment. If your company regularly uses packing peanuts and cardboard to ship your stands, there is a lot that you can do to reduce your impact.

First, you can almost always recycle your packaging. Even if you just bring a big box to store all your packing peanuts, it’s a good first step. Remember, you’ll need that packing material again to ship everything home. Why not save it? The same goes for your cardboard. You can continue to reuse these materials for your next trip. There’s no reason to throw them away.

Eco-Friendly Giveaways At Your Trade Show Displays

Another big waste comes in the form of most giveaways. Much as they’re a great way to increase publicity for your trade show booths, they’re also a big drain on the environment. This fix is a simple one: get them from a company that uses recycled, sustainable materials. You’d be surprised how many products now have a green version, and common convention giveaways like bags and pens are no exception. You may pay a slightly higher price per item, but in the end, the extra expense will be well worth it. Your customers will enjoy knowing that their chosen business partner is also helping save the planet.

Consider Renting Trade Show Booths Rather Than Buying

In some cases, purchasing trade show displays rather than renting them can have a negative impact on the environment. The obvious exceptions are trade show booths which are made from sustainable materials, like bamboo. For most other units, however, sustainable craftsmanship isn’t really an option yet, and just the process of making them takes a lot of resources.

For these types of exhibits, green companies often choose to rent rather than buy. If you are particularly eco-conscious, renting an exhibit might be the best decision for you. However, if you are looking for a more permanent option, see what can be done to make your display more sustainable.

Think Outside The Box

Part of being eco-friendly is finding new ways to change things so you’re doing the right thing for the environment. While this guide offers suggestions, it’s ultimately up to your company to find new, innovative ways to make these ideas your own. Don’t think about what visitors will see when they come to your trade show exhibits; think about what will actually make a difference. When being green really becomes a philosophy, your visitors will notice, and your numbers will improve accordingly.
By Chris A. Harmen

When it comes to creating great trade show displays, it’s easy to make mistakes. There is so much to learn, and on top of that, you need to keep your finger on the pulse of the market or risk becoming irrelevant. With so much to remember, it’s easy to let some of the basics fall through the cracks. Whether you’re new to the field or a career designer trying to brush up for a new year, these five common mistakes made when selecting giveaways for your trade show exhibit will help remind you of what’s important when your company runs a promotion.

Mistake #1: Confusing Low Cost With Great Value

Just because an item has a very low cost doesn’t mean it’s a good value. If you’ve visited conventions before, you’ve almost certainly run across that one trade show exhibit that gives away pens that won’t work. They might hurt your hand, they might break, they might leak, or they might just never write at all, but they’re not good quality. In all likelihood, the person who decided to buy them thought the company was getting a great deal, but did that item strengthen the company’s brand? Remember that every item you give away will reflect back on your company. Only pick things that you know are going to leave a positive impression of your trade show booth.

Mistake #2: Failing To Quickly Sort Qualified Leads From The Merely Curious

Giving away anything is a great way to draw traffic to your trade show displays. The problem is, if you can’t sort through that traffic once you’ve got it, you’re going to end up giving away products and time to leads that won’t pan out. People are naturally attracted to anything that’s free; if you just give out free stuff left and right, you’re not going to see good results. Instead, train your trade show booth staff to quickly and effectively learn to qualify leads. They should be able to tell virtually at a glance whether someone is likely to buy or is just visiting trade show displays for free merchandise.

Mistake #3: Giving Something For Absolutely Nothing

Don’t make your visitors pay money for your giveaways, but make them give you something in return: their contact information. When they take something from you, whether it’s a pen or a coffee mug, you want to make sure that you can contact them about it later. Get their business card, or have them fill out a contact sheet, right there at the trade show exhibit. If you let them walk away without getting their details, you won’t be able to follow up and drive the sale home.

Mistake #4: Forgetting To Distinguish Your Loyal Customers

Whenever an existing customer visits your trade show booth, you should have something special to give them that shows how much you appreciate their business. Whatever you give them should always be nicer than what you’re giving away to new prospects. You want them to understand how much you appreciate their business. Never forget that while new leads will propel your business, your old and loyal clients are your foundation.

Mistake #5: Losing Track Of Your Goal

The most important thing to remember when you pick out and give away any kind of gift at a trade show exhibit is what the gift is meant to do. It’s something that keeps your company name in front of the eyes of visitors, reminding them of who you are and what you offer. That goal should dictate what kind of thing you choose to give, and what quality you choose as well. Forget that, and you could see greatly diminished profits no matter how well you avoid these other four mistakes.
By Chris A. Harmen

It’s all to easy to make nice, easy to read exhibition stands – but if it doesn’t make an impact and stand out from the rest, then consumers won’t be drawn to your products or service.

There are 5 top tips ITR suggests you can follow to make your exhibition stand and your product jump out from the crowd, starting with making it an exciting visual for anyone walking by. Use bold colours and don’t be afraid to use less words – a few well placed words can make all the difference, and by not giving too much away, people will be intrigued and drawn in.

Secondly, offer out some freebies to anyone who signs up, or enquires about the product. Even something as small as a branded pen will attract people in and promote your brand in a widespread way. Imagine a few months later a person is searching for a pen and comes across yours…they will be reminded of the service and are more inclined to get in touch!

Be sure to have some (budget friendly) treats on offer – a bowl of chocolates or sweets is generally a good starting point, and if it so happens that your business is all about healthy eating or living, why not put out bowls of fruit or snacks like rice cakes?

If your budget allows, try to invest in some technology such as touch screens or presentations. People are like magpies – drawn to shiny, exciting things, and if there’s an interactive element, it encourages the public to come on over and give it a go.

Another one for those with a larger budget is to try to include a small bar or café area. This will keep the area buzzing and get people talking.

Finally, be bold with people and don’t shy away from speaking to crowds – your product is worth shouting about, and if your exhibition stand is bold, colourful and loud, it’s only right that you should be too!
By Vanhomrigh Robertson

We are working our way through a series of success principles to help you succeed in a network marketing opportunity.

If you are looking at options among the established network marketing products and services, but have not yet settled into one company, this series is for you.

Knowledge works wonders when it is applied. We can learn from the successes and setbacks of others. Isn’t it great when you can avoid problems and create opportunity by knowing something in advance? This series discusses patterns of success in network marketing so that you can have knowledge in advance of your journey.

Here is what I’d like to suggest in this piece: think carefully about the “fit” between who and what you are and the product/service you will sell.

More specifically: make a choice that is a good “match” for you.

How do you know what is a good match? Let’ talk about that.

The idea here is to not let your initial reaction get ahead of your reasoning, such that you jump into an opportunity without thinking about how you will feel about marketing the product/service, and how well it fits your style and character.

Get involved with something that has resonance with your past experience, skill set, preferences, and overall personality. For example, if you have no interest in nutrition and find the whole subject boring, working with a nutritional products company might not be your smartest choice. On the other hand, maybe a “consumable” is perfect for you, given your interests and passions.

There are hundreds of opportunities out there covering a wide spectrum of products and services, so you have a lot to choose from.

Now I know that if you are powerfully motivated to start and succeed in your own business, you can learn to like a product/service, especially if you like and respect the company. I get that.

But do remember that you start with a BIG advantage if you move into something that you can really get excited about….something that you believe in. When you like and trust what you are representing and selling, you can learn to do so with ease and comfort. You see it as something that brings genuine value. When you deeply believe in the company and the product, you have vastly simplified your life in network marketing.

There are people in network marketing, just as there are in other endeavours, who are out of sync with their product because, for a variety of reasons, they are not emotionally attached.

If you are still looking and have not settled into one company give some serious thought to how well it fits with you as a person and as a professional.

You can get a quick reading on this just by listening to your own intuition, and what your “gut” tells you, but here are a few questions that may help:

• Does the organization’s core values match my own?

• Does the product/service itself speak to anything I feel passionate about?

• Does my past experience and skill set have any synergy with the product/service?

• Does the culture of the organization – as best I can assess it through the people I have met – seem to be harmonious with my values and goals?

I say again….you can be successful by learning to appreciate a product or service that is based on quality and value. But you want to at least make sure that you find a few primary features of the organization and its product/service that are compatible with your essence. If you don’t find something to like now, there is a good chance you won’t find something to love later.

You won’t be doing yourself or your potential sponsor any favors if you move into something that you are fundamentally incompatible with. On the other hand, you will feel great if you take the time to learn about the organization and what it offers. After doing your “due diligence” make a decision based on how well the overall opportunity fits you, as well as how well you fit the opportunity.

If you do so, you will be adding one more big factor in your favor. Of course, there is more to network marketing success than a good fit. We will continue identifying the success probability factors in the next article.

Fran O’Neal (Ed.D.) helps small business owners achieve lasting success by consulting, researching, writing, and “thinking out loud” about the issues of strategy, leadership, team building, and customer experience for small business owners and associates.By Fran O’Neal