Organizing my Marketing

The last week has been a busy one and I didn’t get to work on my marketing much. You see I am not a full time work at home online marketer. I have for the last 27 years run my own small home based business but it is in construction not online marketing. So you see not only do I continue to work a full time job but it is my own business which demands even more time than a typical 9 till 5 job. I am not complaining as I have had opportunities to go work for someone else and realized that though they may have been a great boss I would find it hard to work for anyone but myself. The reason I started to develop an online presence is to be able in a few more years to wind down my brick and mortar business and still be able to make a living. The challenge is always time. Part of what helps some people get more out of a day is organization or the management of their time. I can’t say that I am a poor time manager but I certainly am not as organized as some. It is one of my weaker suits.
So now as I am into this new year I’m thinking about managing my time related to my marketing. You know so much time working with my social networking sites, so much time trying to keep my traffic exchanges going. Making sure I get my ads out, continuing to work at generating leads and learning how to market well. Keeping my web pages up to date etc.
How on earth am I going to do all this? I could farm out some of my work but where can you get a good job for cheap? I mean people who will really work it as if it was theirs and where do you get the money to pay them?
The only thing that I can do for now is organize myself better. I have been thinking about this over the last few days and really have got no where yet. But it is what I must do. I’m asking what time do I have and then trying to figure out how to divvy it up. Well I guess I have my work cut out for me this coming week.
How do you make out it this area? Do you find it easy or hard? Do you have any good ideas?
Add a comment if you can help.
Till next time, HELP!!

Setting Goals for 2008

Last time I talked about looking back at 2007 and analyzing what you did. This time we will look forward.
How many of us know what is going to happen this year? I certainly don’t. It is even worse than predicting the weather isn’t it? So how can we plan ahead? Well that is what setting goals is all about. Each day as I start my day I think about what I want to accomplish. Now I am not as manic as some as I don’t make lists down to the last detail. I have discovered that when it comes to my days I rarely get done what I set out to do and making detailed lists would just frustrate me. I do have goals in my mind though of what I what to accomplish and somewhat how I want to try and get there. Now I am not saying that a more detailed list is wrong or bad I am just saying that is not how I work. It may also be my cop out. So if you are a list maker and it helps you to get things done then that is what you need to do.
So now let’s think about the list. You’ve analyzed and now what are you going to do?
I’m going to give you my list but they are in no particular order.
Surf more consistently.
Choose the traffic exchanges that are working and stop wasting my time on the rest.
Be more consistent with the social networking sites I have signed up with.
Interact more with my contacts on these Web 2.0 sites.
Analyze my PPC programs more frequently.
Make changes to my sites based on my analysis more frequently.
Etc.
Do you see a pattern emerging? If I was to sum them up in a few words it would be.
-Consistent -going deeper -getting rid of the dead wood -work more with what I have got -stop jumping from new to new.
So that is my goal for 2008. I think I can do it. I know I can do it. Now all I have to do is do it.
Till next time, happy marketing.

How is your Analytics?

For most of us at this time of year we are a little bit analytical. We are thinking about the year that was and about the year to come. We have the year in review on TV about sports, about the News, and on just about any topic we can think of. We ourselves think about the last year, our weight and the pounds we’ve gained or about our smoking habit etc. and we make resolutions about what we hope to do in the New Year. But for many of us trying to analyze our business is not easy. We know we should do it but it just isn’t natural. For others it is easy and that is all they want to think about and it is hard for them to think about the future. That is life we are all different.
Some of us try to use software to do the work for us but software alone won’t do it, no matter how good it is. Software is only as good as the information that is put into it and then what comes out isn’t going to change anything unless we interpret it and then make the changes that are needed.
So how are your analytics? No I’m not talking about the software I’m talking about you. Have you taken or do you plan to take some time to evaluate what you did last year and set new goals for 2008? The easy path and I tend to take it at times and make excuses of “I’m too busy” is to just keep doing the same old same old. Someone once said that the definition of a fool is “someone who keeps doing the same thing and expecting different results”.
As I think about really my first year trying to make money on the internet through our two outdoor furniture stores “Teaks n More” and “Outdoor Cedars” I feel like I have come a long way. Yet I realize there is so much to learn and put into practice yet. I am not discouraged, (though I would like it to be easier) the old saying is still true “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and neither will our business. I am actually looking forward to this coming year. I enjoy learning. I enjoy the road of discovery and if I wasn’t working at this I would find some other hill to climb. See that is why I find it harder to do the analytics, I am always looking to the new. That is one of the things that I have discovered. I have been bouncing from new to new too much and need to work on doing better with what I am presently trying to do.
Next time I will think about setting some goals for 2008.
Till next time.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

What are you thinking of at this time of year? Gifts, family, friends, Turkey, big meals, how you’re going to get rid of those pounds and I’m sure the list could go on. For some of you, church might be important as well.
What happens to the business? For me my online stores “Outdoor Cedars” and “Teaks n More” and my online marketing efforts are important. I love to do well and I would love to be unconcerned about money but that is just not the way it is for most of us. We work hard and sometimes too hard for what we get back.
It’s hard for me to take a break. Yes I know it’s important but there is just so much to do or that I want to do. At this time of year I find it easier to take a break (of course after the big Day). Everyone else is, so even if I don’t want to there are a lot less things you can do so I will take a break as well.
For a lot of us this is a time to both reflect on the past and look to the future. This last year there has really been some major changes in my business life. This has affected my personal life but my core has not changed.
I try to not mix my faith with business but for true Christ followers there is no real way of separating them. We are who we are. If you are a Christ follower then what you do and how you do it is affected by your beliefs. You can’t say I believe in honesty but then in your business only tell part of the truth about what you are selling. You can’t see the needy and not do something. What you do and how you do it is a reflection of who you really are.
This time of year is more than a Great Season or a time for a break for me. This is a special time (but not the only time) that I remember Jesus came to earth, to live, to die and that he will come again.
Happy birthday Jesus!
My marketing friends may you discover the true meaning of the Season this year!
Merry Christmas to all of you!

When is Enough, Enough?

This morning I woke up to a couple of inches of snow, now a couple of hours later we have 8 inches and I wonder when is enough, enough. No I am not talking about the snow, though that too, but I mean when do you take a break from your marketing? You see for one thing if you have read any of my other articles you know that we have a couple of stores online. If you look at their names "Outdoor Cedars" and "Teaks n More" then you should have an idea of what we are selling. Then when I look outside I think who would buy outdoor furniture today? So can I stop marketing for a couple of weeks or months until it is back in season?
Another thing is you read one articles from marketers who sell themselves as experts in the internet marketing field and they say you have to be doing it every day if you really want to succeed in internet marketing. Then you read or have someone else trying to sell you their system as being able to be on autopilot. You know like the commercial on TV selling something for the kitchen and their slogan is “set it and forget it”.
Well I don’t know about you but I don’t want to have to feel like I have to be at it every day. I mean one of the reasons I started doing this is so I could take life a little easier. Though going south to a little more sun and a lot less snow does seem like a good idea right now. When does that next plane leave anyway? Sorry back on topic. I must have been dreaming there for a minute. O yeah at the same time has anyone truly made money on a “set it and forget it” system?
I have tried in life to approach each day with ‘these are the things I’d like to get done today’ and then at the end of the day I know I rarely can say “wow I got it all done” but I usually can say I know I worked hard and I did my best and I’m content (not always) with that. We all need a break and though I agree we can’t take weeks or months off and then expect to instantly be back where we were. I also think we need to pace ourselves or have a system or the help we need so we can take a break to regenerate ourselves.
This holiday season is a great time to take a break. Are you with me? Yeah I think I’ll take the rest of the day off. Maybe!
Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the season.

A true “Business” Social Networking site “APSense”.

APSense is a Free Business Social Network. It is a place where you have all the tools you need to make your business grow. They enable users to share their business through creating quality business content and through networking with other businesses that are doing the same. Their goal is to make it simple for you to connect with other business individuals and they are very good at this.
You can share your business and opportunities through the usual: your personal profile, forums and blogs but with APSense you also have the ability to have a Business Center through which you can promote and talk about your business or businesses, products and services. They have good tutorials that help you set things up and there is also lots of people willing to help you get started.
People everyday are searching for things related to your business by using search engines and web 2.0 enabled websites like Apsense and there are millions of them. So by presenting your business and opportunities on Apsense, you are enabling these people to find you.
Another unique thing about APSense is that all the content put on Apsense, from business blogs to business discussions, products and services are collectively rated by the users (that’s you). Then the top rated contents are pushed to the top of the listings so people can find the most popular and trusted business information quickly.

I have grown to like APSense very much because it is so business related and friendly and it is having an impact on my business. As I am able to develop my business center even more I am sure the results will only grow.
There is lots more you can do and learn then I have time to talk about here. APSense will change the way you can and want to build your business. Check out what others have to say about APSense on Google. Why not check it out for yourself. I am sure you will find it works for you, and it is Free.

Marketing on web 2.0 sites? They’re not all the same!

This time I would like to talk about a couple of web 2.0 sites that are great sites but don’t add up when you are trying to market on the web.
The first I want to talk about is “FaceBook”. This is a very popular site and it is a Great site. It has a lot to offer in meeting new friends, connecting with old friends or just keeping in touch with the friends and family you have. I am totally amazed at how many people use it. Young right up to grandparents. People use it instead of email because they can share pictures and videos of themselves. You can set security so that only certain people can view your information unless you invite them into your circle. There are lots of add-ons that people really get into and it is great for making new friends and building those relationships. When it comes to marketing, it is not really geared to it. There is a business section where you can connect with other businesses and there is a “Market place” where you can buy or sell things but I feel it really wants to steer away from business. It wants to stay away from spam (don’t we all) and so it guards itself and those who use it away from sales. So to use FaceBook you need to develop relationships and then talk about business one on one or away from the site. I am sure that for some they have learned how to use it to their advantage but it certainly is not as easy to use for marketing your business as the two I have talked about previously Friendswin and Giblink.
The other hugely popular social networking site I am going to talk about this week is “YouTube”.
This site though I am not that familiar with it is mostly about videos. People go here to be entertained or to show off their video skills. You can post videos on it about any topic you want. In fact it has been used by police to find and arrest criminals who were video taped and then the video put up on YouTube. For the internet marketer it is great to upload videos to it and then link to from your web site. This is great for training or introducing and demonstrating a product etc. which certainly helps in your internet marketing and so it is certainly of value. But to use it directly it is not built for the internet marketer.
Again both these sites are great social networking sites and if used creatively they have value to the internet marketer. So don’t write a site off right away, with everything you do learn to use whatever you can to its best advantage.
Have a great week marketing and this week try out something different and see if you can use it to help market your business. As for me I am constantly looking for new ways to let people know about the great patio and Garden furniture we have at Teaks n More and Outdoor Cedars.
Till next time.