So I was in Cancun and I had this realization that marketing principals are universal in any setting. I know, I know it kind of seems like a 101 kind of thought, but I just now began relating marketing in stores to the dynamics of a presentation. Having the ability to speak and having the ability to do a presentation are two different things.

I used to think because I was comfortable speaking in front of people I could do a good presentation boy was I wrong. Now I am careful to analyze the dynamics and delivery of the speeches I am requested to make. This has resulted in not only high closing ratios, but more a more effective delivery of information to my audience.

Check out the video and let me know “Do you compete with Wal-Mart?”

Walk with me through the Cancun airport. I am literally like 10 feet out of security and I am forced into this mall of deals, liqueur tasting, and discounted  candies.

Marketing is a science, it is up to us to to distinguish what areas of our presentations need to be polished. The best closers in the world close 35%-40% of a room on an unexpected pitch.

Hope you enjoy. See you at the top!

photo credit: umm

photo credit: Appy29 (very busy mostly away)

Image is important in all areas of business from branding to first impressions. Obviously with new technology we think we can do most things on our own in relation to our business, but there are still a few things that are just better left to professionals.

Rebecca Brittain shares some ideas to what you can do to have a professional image on all of your photographic marketing pieces.

So, you’ve got your new business up and running…the website design is done, your facebook account is gathering friends and fans, and you are blogging about your business like a pro. What’s missing? Take another look at your business cards, website, and other social media pages, and ask yourself this question: Is this photo of me (or my product) the first impression I want to show the world?

It’s an old but true saying…a picture is worth a thousand words. The images you present to the world should be your “best face forward”…not some outdated snapshot you happen to have lying around! You can have the best website, blog, and brochure written and designed, but if the photography falls short, you’ve lost a opportunity to impress a potential client. (I can’t tell you the number of times I see websites and business materials with absolutely BAD photographs on them. Blurry, grainy head shots that are cringe-worthy. Product shots taken with on camera flash and bad composition.)

You may have other reasons for not upgrading your images…”I don’t have the time”, “I can’t afford it”, and “I have no idea exactly what I need” are a few I’ve heard from business people. As a professional photographer, I can tell you that most photo shoots take less time than you think from booking to final images. As for cost, remember…professional head shots and product images are an investment you make in the future of your business. It’s another way to grow your business and keep up with your competition.

I love helping potential clients figure out their photographic needs…and working together to come up with a solution that helps their business grow.

Rebecca Brittain is a professional photographer in Clearwater, FL
www.rebeccabrittain.com

WOW, is there ever a lot of confusion going on about Social Media and how to make sense of it all. I was talking to a business person the other day and his comments about not needing Social Media as a part of his marketing strategy shocked me. He didn’t understand the value to his business and actually saw it as a big time waster.

My response to him was that every business needs Social Media Marketing as a part of their overall marketing strategy. Social Media is no longer a “nice to have” marketing strategy, it’s a “must have” marketing strategy.

Everyone goes online to look for products or services and research companies before doing business with them. The days of looking in the Yellow Pages for what you want are almost gone. What makes you and your business any different?

The power of social media has no even begun to scratch the scratch of its potential. The unfortunate part of this all is many people choose not to educate themselves on the subject and are getting farther and farther behind. This is a facet of business which, without exaggeration, evolves on a daily basis.

There is always a new shiny object there to capture our attention, but what is important is having a strategy, a game plan. Not only a game plan for your marketing, but also a game plan for how to stay informed with new technology and trends.

As a Social Media Marketing Specialist, I decided to formalize a home study coaching program to help people on a tight budget with the What, Why and How of Social Media so they can put together a strategy that makes sense for their business. You can check it out at www.hubsocializer.com to see if it answers some of those big questions about Social Media you might have.

Happy New Year!

Kathy Perry, Social Media Marketing Specialist
www.kathyperry.com
www.hubsocializer.com

P.S. You can also download my free ebook at: www.52SocialMediaTips.com

Every day people look at the tremendous growth of the internet and wonder how they can get involved. With over 1.7 billion people worldwide now online, internet marketing is only getting bigger and bigger. If you want to learn how to generate income online with no product, no experience and no investment, you need to take a look at affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing – the marketing of other people’s products online – offers so many advantages.

1. Get into business yourself: There are lots of ways to get into business. But few, if any, offer the chance to do so from the comfort of your own home, on a schedule of your choice, without the need to commute or punch in on a time clock. You can be your own boss and run the show the way you choose.

2. No cost startup: Franchises are expensive to begin. Starting a brick and mortar business, like a gas station or a dry cleaner, requires a significant capital investment. Multi level marketing is inexpensive to get into, but may be uncomfortable for many since it requires selling to family and friends. Beginning a full time online retail or services business has significant up front development costs. Affiliate marketing, however, can be started up with no cost; all you need is an internet connection to get started.

3. Well known companies and brand names: As an affiliate marketer, you do not have to spend time promoting products or services which are not well known. In affiliate marketing it is possible to choose among some of the most successful big name companies and some of the hottest brand names. There’s no need for you to sell an off-brand cosmetics line. Instead you can market what most shoppers are buying.

4. Freedom of choice: Affiliate marketing allows you to choose the products and services you promote, the seasons in which to promote them and the audience you want to reach. You can take advantage of buying trends and shopping seasons, by rolling out special campaigns. There are no limits in affiliate marketing, other than the amount of effort and creativity you want to dedicate to developing your business.

5. Additional stream of income: If you’ve got a job, you can easily use affiliate marketing to generate more income. This is also a perfect opportunity for a stay-at-home parent, especially when you have a working spouse. Or if you are a student, you can be an affiliate marketer and generate funds for tuition when you are not in class. After all, few students these days are without a computer — which is all that is required to own and run an affiliate marketing business. If you are retired, then…what else have you got to do? Why not be a marketing expert working in association with some of the most prominent companies in the world? And if you are unemployed, affiliate marketing can earn you income while you are searching for your next opportunity.

Other perfect candidates for affiliate marketing include people who are injured and can’t perform their regular job; pregnant moms who want to stay home during and after their pregnancies; workers sick of the nine-to-five; and dads who decide they want to be stay at home dads and create wealth from home.

6. Learn to earn: This is not complicated work. Besides, there are many online resources that will take you by the hand and lead you step by step on your journey to becoming a wealthy affiliate marketer. With so much training available, the question is not whether you can learn or apply this information. Rather, the question, “Do you have the work ethic to get the job done?” Think about it: are you willing to use your imagination to create and grow an online affiliate marketing business?

7. The future of advertising: Perhaps the most compelling reason to be an affiliate marketer is the fact that online marketing is the new direction of choice by most businesses. As print media slowly dies and the electronic media becomes even more expensive, advertising on the web increases in viability. Utilizing affiliate marketers on a commission basis eliminates a whole range of salary and benefit expenses for companies. It just makes good business sense. You can be the marketer who brings the buyers to the seller. It is a process that is less costly to the seller and more convenient to the buyer. As the marketer, you provide the service and collect the commission. This the future of marketing, so take a look at this exciting business today!

Post By: Dan Sherman is the Internet Business Tutor at www.netbiztutor.com. He teaches seminars and offers info products on how to get started in internet marketing as an affiliate marketer. Next class January 23rd, go to www.netbiztutor.com for more details.

Here is a short networking tip from Chris Lontok with Business Local Listings, a local Tampa Bay business owner.

You must have a way for people to subscribe to your posts in order to help you build a quality marketing list. Follow Chris’s tips and you will be one step closer to having a marketing list to begin advertising to.

Good Luck and have a great day!