1. Building a Platform

2. Preparing a Proposal

3. Finding Agents and Publishers To Pitch

4. Marketing Your Book

5. Self-publishing options

For more information, visit  PVCC

What does that mean?

Of course we can ferret out that the company is trying to say that it uses today’s technology, but embraces old values and traditions. But what does technology and tradition mean for someone selling or buying a house? Is the company giving away an iPad for every listing? If I’m a non-traditional family can this company still help me?

Marketing is most effective when it focuses on the consumer. In this case, letting a home seller know that their home will be advertised online or using the company’s smartphone applications for for every house-hunter in the area to see would define how technology can help in the process. Or allowing home buyers to make appointments online or getting a digital map for open house tours in the area, which again shows how technology can make life convenient in finding a new home (I don’t know that either of those is possible, but you get the point). The same can be done for the concept of tradition, which I suspect in this ad means quality and personal service, but again could deter someone who felt non-traditional.

Customers don’t buy technology or tradition, they buy solutions. If technology and tradition assist in the solution, that’s great. But effective marketing needs to keep the consumer in mind ensuring that it will solve their problem, in this case to buy or sell a home. How does “sophisticated business systems and the broad appeal of a lifestyle brand” help me sell my home?

The important thing to remember is that your customers are buying solutions so that’s what you need to sell. Market your features (technology and tradition) only in terms of how they will benefit your consumer.

• March 17, 2012, 1 pm to 4 pm – Blogging for Bucks PVCC

1) Understand the benefits of your products or services. Often business owners focus on the features of their products or services. But customers don’t buy features, they buy benefits. They don’t want a safe, herbal (feature) diet pill, they want to lose weight and be sexy (benefit). That doesn’t mean the feature won’t appeal to buyers. What it means is that customers buy solutions so you want to focus your marketing on how your product or service meets their needs.

2) Find your customers. Even big companies that advertise on TV know that they need to place their promotional materials where their target market will see it. That’s why you don’t see beer commercials during Oprah or feminine hygiene ads on the Spike Channel. It may seem sexists as there are men or beer drinkers who watch Oprah and women who watch the Spike channel, but overall, these resources cater to a specific market. The beer makers know they’re going to have greater results running their ads during football games than during Oprah. You want to use the same strategy. What magazines does your market read? What TV channels do they watch? What websites do they visit? What places to they go? Place your marketing materials in specific sub-groups or niches where you know your target market will see it.

3) Use several, but not all marketing tactics. Many business start-ups focus on running an ad to bring in customers, but an ad alone will not do all the work in bringing in customers, and in fact it may not be the most effective marketing method for your business. Focusing again on where your market can be found, develop materials to reach them. That can include ads, articles, and coupons in magazines or on websites. It could mean offering coupons or your business cards during special events or networking groups. Decide what methods to use, and create a marketing plan to regularly place your promotional materials in front of your target market.

4) Evaluate the results. The biggest waste of marketing money and time is using tactics that aren’t working. Tracking can be a tedious job, but is necessary to know what promotional items are working and where. One ad may be brining most of your clients while the same ad somewhere else may be doing nothing. Don’t waste your time on marketing that isn’t pulling its weight. Instead tweak the ad to make it work better in the spot its running or find another media resource similar to the one that is working. Good marketing campaigns are all about testing, evaluating, tweaking or changing, and testing some more to maximize your results.

Marketing is an integral part of any business, but only if done correctly. Before you run your next ad, check that it offers a solution to your potential customers and that it will run where they will see it. Create a multi-tactic marketing plan that offers diverse promotional materials and then test and evaluate to see which work the best. Once you maximize your marketing bucks, save money while getting better results, which means a profitable bottom line.

1. New trends in marketing
2. How consumers are finding businesses today
3. What ever website needs (and doesn’t need)
4. How to get traffic to the website
5. And how to put together an effective online marketing plan.

The seminar is March 15, 2012 from 9 to noon at PVCC’s Stultz Building.

The Blogging For Bucks Teleseminar will be held Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 9 pm Eastern time and will cover:

- How to choose a profitable blog topic.
- The basics of setting up a blog.
- Creating content that people want to read.
- How money is made.
- Getting people to visit your blog.

The teleseminar is free to attend, but you need to register to obtain the call-in details.

I’ll be doing a three-hour seminar on Saturday January 28, 2012 at Piedmont Virginia Community College on how to become a Virtual Assistant.

In the course you’ll learn:

• What a VA does
• How to get started
• How to identify the skills you have and the services you can offer
• Determine who needs those services and how to get them to hire you

The course includes worksheets and handouts to help you develop a business plan plus how to set your fees and get paid.

To learn more or to register, visit Piedmont Virginia Community College online or call 434.977.3900

In a world of digital music and movies, it is a no-brainer that digital books would follow. A recent article at Paid Content reports that e-books are outselling print versions on the U.S. bestsellers list. In a tough economy, this makes sense. E-books are less expensive to produce and therefore less expensive to buy. Readers don’t have to find a bookstore that carries the book or order it in the mail. Instead, they can order and read in minutes. Students can bookmark and annotate without writing in the book. Bookshelves full of books can be carried on one, low-weight device.

Still, many resist e-books, preferring to hold a “real” book instead. I used to be that person and admittedly, making the change to an e-reader has taken time. But like the horse and buggy, video tapes, and CD’s, traditional books are becoming an object of a time gone by.

Here are the events I’m scheduled to appear at so far:

January 12, 2012, 10am – Guest on CWAHM Internet Radio Talking about Telecommuting
January 28, 2012, 9am-Noon – Become a Virtual Assistant – PVCC
Feb. 18, 2012, 9am-Noon – How to Find or Create a Work-At-Home Job – PVCC
February 21, 2012 9pm – Jobs Online Teleseminar – Global Teleclass
March 15, 2012 9am – Easy Internet Marketing for Small Business – PVCC and Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce Business Academy
March 17, 2012, 9am-Noon – Blogging for Bucks PVCC
April 21, 2012 9am-Noon – How to Sell Then Write a Non-Fiction Book – PVCC

To learn more about these and see new events scheduled when they’re arranged visit the Events Page.

My father used to say that my grandmother served black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year’s day. In doing a little research, I found that many foods are connected with good luck or prosperity, while others might hurt your chances. Epicurious has an article on Lucky Food for the New Year which is an interesting read. I have taken some of the lucky foods and created a menu that I hope will bring me great success in 2012.

• Pork Satay (a family favorite from one of the South Beach Diet Cookbooks)
• Avocado and Black-Eyed Pea Salsa (I found this online and it sounded yummy)
• Spicy Collard Green Chips (a recipe I got a few months back from the Clean Eating Magazine)
• Corn Bread (I’ll probably use a mix)

So what will all these foods bring me in the New Year?

Black-Eyed Peas – My grandmother was right in that black-eyed peas are a traditional New Year staple in the south. Apparently the little peas stand for coins. Eating them should bring financial rewards.

Greens – This is another tradition in many parts of the world. Germany eats cabbage, while the south eats collard greens (of course). The greens symbolize folded money to bring economic fortune. Considering the economy, I think everyone should eat some greens today. I’m not a huge fan of greens myself, but the spicy collard green chips are really good.

Pork – Pigs apparently stand for progress because they’re always moving forward. I haven’t studied pigs enough to know, but am willing to give it shot.

Corn Bread – I’ve seen different interpretations of corn bread, one saying it stands for pocket money and another indicating it’s a reminder to be humble. I could use both so I’ve added it to the menu.

Aside from eating well, the tradition stipulates that you leave some food on your plate or on the table until past midnight. I’m not one to usually leave good food on the plate, but if its the difference between a great year and a ho-hum year, I can leave a little behind.

What should you avoid on New Years? According to Epicurious, chicken and lobster both of which represent movement backwards. So we’ll have the homemade chicken soup I made this weekend tomorrow.