December 8th is International Shareware Day – Shareware is computer software developed for the public domain, which can be used or copied without infringing copyright. Programmers typically get paid a small one time fee from users who find the software useful. If your company develops shareware, it is a great day to start a shareware blitz around the world. If you don’t you can still find some online and pass it along – ask friends and colleagues for suggestions before doing so as some of the stuff out there is of poor quality or doesn’t do all it says it can.
December 8th, 2008
Longing to increase your traffic for the holidays and turn those prospects into buyers? Here are eight sure-fire ways to do so.
1. Links, Links, Links - Links are the “currency” of search engines. When you have high quality relevant inbound links the search become more “attracted” to your site – and increase your rankings. What are considered quality inbound links? A link that has a high page rank (according to PageRank the tool Google uses to evaluate the links scores from 0 to 10 – An 8 or above are considered very high ranks. You might be able to get these high-ranking sites to link to you if you advertise on their sites, sponsor their events.
2. Start a Blog – having an online journal is a good start as long as you are committed to keeping the content fresh and relevant. Posting a minimum of once a week is a must – daily is best. Spiders crawl the web looking for fresh content and because a blog is an online journal it was designed to have the latest content posted or seen first.
3. Encourage bloggers to “blog” (write about) your company. You can do that by sending them your stuff such as product samples, books you have written, etc. If they like your “stuff” they may write about it and link to you. Make sure the “gift” is of value – a keychain is just an advertising tool unless someone needs a keychain so sending a blogger a keychain (unless it lights up, writes, send messages, stores data) probably won’t go over big and will undoubtedly just get tossed aside.
4. Get involved in a social network or two. Toyota has done this by targeting younger customers using digital entertainment and online community to launch it’s new Yaris. Yaris has its own Web site with free music downloads, games, and wireless mini-episodes of “Prison Break.” It has tapped into the generation by advertising on MySpace, Youtube and several blogs that are highly trafficked by their target audience.
5. Optimize your website with “gift ideas” pages. Place them one or at the most 2 clicks away from your home pages for greatest effectiveness. Offer gift certificates and make them prominently displayed on your website homepage.
6. Showcase your Free Stuff – if you offer free delivery, free gift wrapping or a free gift with purchase make sure it is listed on the homepage – create a visual (with the words imbedded in the image) so that when the visitor scrolls over it, they know the “click here” and go to the page that explains the offer. Consider putting the offer in your title tag (using a minimum number of words – less than 12 is ideal)
7. Rearrange your site to fit the seasons. for instance, Christmas ideas should be most prominent during the holiday shopping season and everyday items should take a less prominent position. Make the holiday shopping area just one click away from the homepage. Remember you have only about 5 seconds to “grab” and “keep” their attention. Help prospects make the best use of their time and turn into customers.
8. Update your site map to include any new pages you create for the holidays.
NOTE: We just updated our retail florist website, Eden Florist & Gift Baskets. It now has a built-in Site map that updates itself (that and so much more). I invite you to check it out and see what Laura Wheeler and her staff at Firelight Web Studio did for us. It is amazing! For a view of our “old” website visit the Wayback Machine and see what we started with.
December 7th, 2008
Did you know???
December is Bingo’s Birthday Month? - Why not host an online Bingo contest… As part of the promotional campaign, the Women’s Internet Marketing Summit hosted a BINGO Game – ( BINGO stands for Bookmarked Interactive Network Games Online) the Internet based version of BINGO using randomly selected Internet marketing terms (Bingo Lingo) in each of the 25 boxes contained on the card. Check it out at: http://www.womensinternetmarketingsummit.com/ -
It’s also National Write a Business Plan Month – Time to plan for the future – Check out the Business Plan Guide at http://www.bplans.com/dp/ and the tutorial on the SBA Site at http://www.sba.gov/library/pubs/mp-32.pdf . There is no time like the present to write or re-write yours.
December 6th, 2008
December 5th is Bathtub day – How about a bathtub race for charity? It can bring your company great publicity while doing good for the community. “Each year teams of stalwarts, idiots, call them what you will, leap into cast iron bath tubs and row like mad down the River Adur from Bramber to Shoreham, in a race against the elements and each other, all with the aim of having fun and raising funds for local charities.” The modern race began over 30 years ago when a member of Shoreham and Southwick Round Table, Clive Thorpe, had a bright idea to liven up proceedings for the year. The first race had eight teams, with all the men dressed as women, complete with stockings and suspenders; and a lot of fun was had by all contestants, culminating in a party. For more information on this historic British event, visit: http://www.bathtubrace.co.uk/
December 5th is also International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development - Find a new cause or volunteer for one you are already involved in. Celebrate other volunteers with a thank you note or pizza party. Create an event for your small business and recruit volunteers to help you plan and present the event to the public. Habitat for Humanity has created a wonderful Economic and Social Development program called Woman Build Program where they take volunteers to help build homes for people in dire need of housing. Check it out at www.habitatforhumanity.org.
December 5th, 2008
December 4th is Extraordinary Work Team Recognition Day – Be sure to recognize people on your team who make it possible for you to do what you do.
December 4th is also Chase’s Calendar of Events Birthday – check it out for more Calendar Marketing Ideas or to submit your own “holiday.”
What kind of holiday could you come up with to promote your business and submit to Chase’s Calendar of Events? I have created 3 holidays of my own: Get Out of the Doghouse Day, International Women’s eCommerce Day and Virtual Woman’s Day. Each one had a purpose to fulfill while promoting my many business endeavors.
In fact, I just submitted a calendar listing to Chases for Calendar Marketing! It will be interesting to see if they pick it up and include in their well-respected resource.
December 4th, 2008
Today is my birthday and so I wanted to GIVE my readers some resurces you could use in your businesses as my gift to you. Here are a few of things I came across:
*Design*Sponge has a collection of business tip sheets (PDF) on publicizing your work, dealing with the legal stuff, setting prices, selling wholesale, selling online, manufacturing, packaging, and more geared to small business owners who are independent designers. And best of all ~ they’re free – You simply click and download.
BTW, these tips sheets can be used for any type small business. If you own a small business, I recommend you Check them out now.
In addition, if you don’t currently have a good follow-up process or if yours could use improvement, you are invited to check out SendOutCards. I have been using these for about 2 months now and they are FANTASTIC! They have helped me to create stronger bonds with current customers as well as enlist new clients and customers. Go to www.SendOutCards.com/Heidi. The first card is FREE, on me. And if you’d like a PRIVATE tour of the “back end,” drop me a note to heidi (at) redheadmarketingblog.com or call me at 954-625-6606. I will be happy to show you around.
December 2nd, 2008
December is the time when many businesses send products around the globe to fulfill customers’ orders or offers in their personal letters to their client base/leads list. If you do this, do you remember to use a “lift note” in your packaging? A “lift note” is a a note you include in your letter/package designed to lift the response of your mailing.
Here are 5 tips to make your “lift note” more effective - 1. Have a big, bold headline like the front page of New York Times 2. Use a customer testimonial in your message 3. Include a guarantee 4. Put it on brightly colored paper or something that would “stand out” in the packaging 5. List the benefits to your customer - the WIIFM (what’s in it for Me - them) for doing business with you.
December 1- 8 is Recipe Greetings for the Holidays Week – send a recipe post card or email post card to your customers. Or use a play on words – and go with something like – What’s the perfect recipe for a great holiday season? You + (my business) = a recipe for success… You could have an open house this week and invite your clients to stop by for your “recipe for success” or other fare.
December 2nd, 2008
December 1st is Cyber Monday ~ Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States that falls between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. “Cyber Monday” is meant to encourage consumers to make purchases online they could not make during the previous weekend which started with Black Friday. Cyber Monday sponsored by the National Retail Federation’s Shop.org division, has evolved into a significant marketing event,in which online retailers offer low prices and promotions. (Source: Wikipedia)
In recognition of Cyber Monday, I too have some “special offers” for my readers. They include:
Grow Your Business Audio Program on sale for only $39.95!
Sign up for How to Grow Your Million Dollar Business? Audio program, based upon the Summit which took place September 18-20 and 23rd is available at $97 now only $39.95. The complete audio program now includes 20 interviews, a 90+ page workbook and several bonuses. And over the next few weeks we will also be offering additional sessions on “Attracting Million-dollar clients,” “How to get Million-dollar Publicity” and more. You don’t want to miss these. Here’s what one person had to say about these sessions:- Heidi I was blown away by the huge names that you managed to gather together on the one teleseminar series. Just one of these speakers would have made the entry price a great deal. I have learned so much from these speakers (and how wonderful is it that most of them are female!) I feel that they have opened my eyes to a big new world and I am implementing right now some of the suggestions that I heard. Very inspiring! Now what shall I spend my first million on…? Katherine Reschke, Business and Mindset Coach ~ http://www.passionsthatpay.com
To get your copy of this program and attend the upcoming interviews go to www.GrowaMillionDollarBusiness.com today. Unadvertised BONUS: Purchase this audio program and you will also receive a complete set of your choice of one of our other popular audio programs. Visit: www.WomensSuccessSeries.com for more information
MOVING SALE ~ I have a few copies of Life Compass for Women available – Now thru December 30th, You can get an autographed copy for $4.95 (plus shipping) ~ Regular price is $14.95. This Indispensable Guidebook on Life Management for Busy Women features 16 of the top experts on Life Balance and Management Strategies. Every copy you buy, I will also include a copy of her “What’s Your OccuPlaytion” Motivational Book (value $6.95). This little book makes a great stocking. Need several copies?
Send a message to Heidi@speakingwithspirit.com with Life Management book in subject line. And you will get and additional 25% off four or more copies. For more information and to grab your copy ~ Visit: http://speakingwithspirit.com/books/life-compass-for-women/ (FYI we are moving our offices January 1st and won’t have the space to store them.
December 1st, 2008
November 30th is Computer Security Day
Computer Security Day was started in 1988 to help raise awareness of computer related security issues. The main goal of Computer Security Day is to remind people to protect their computers and information. This annual event is held around the world on November 30th.
The idea is that for security to work, we must all take part. Each individual plays a part in the group responsibility for protecting information assets and resources. These include: Viruses, PC security, Firewalls, Using strong passwords, Social engineering, Physical security of information resources and assets.Computer Security Day Association created a list of 53 ways to participate in Computer Security Day.
They include:
a) Back-up your data. (after being certain that it is virus-free.) b) Delete unneeded files. c) Initiate a computer security poster design contest for next year.
November 30th, 2008
November 29th is Electronic Greetings Day –
Post Free Funny, Edgy Video e-Cards On Social Networking Sites & Blogs with RattleBox. Or send a traditional ecard for free from several sites including Smilebox.com DoozyCards.com or American Greetings.
Like the real thing but don’t have time to go to the post office or local card store? You can sign up online for SendOutCards and send a REAL CARD that gets mailed to your recipient the very next day! SendOutCards are a wonderful stay-in-touch method to let people know just how much you care. You know that feeling you get when you go to the mailbox and in between all the direct mail soliticitations, and bills is a beautiful hand written greeting card? You see that and forget about all the other mail. All you want to do is tear that envelop open to see what’s inside. Real cards are no longer a lost art. Not since SendOutCards came on the scene.
Try it out! See what I mean. Way better than Electronic Greetings because people can keep these cards, post them on their bulletin board or refrigerator.
And if you like what you see, you can sign up with SendOutCards www.SendOutCards.com/Heidi as a distributor. What a wonderful way to add you’re your monthly income stream.
Source: Your Marketing Calendar 2008
November 29th, 2008
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