How to Defeat Writer’s Block - Tips & Hints to Overcome Writer’s Block

February 25, 2008 – 12:54 pm
How to defeat Writer's Block - hints and tips for overcoming the white page syndrome

How to Defeat Writer's Block - Tips & Hints to Overcome Writer's Block

Helpful hints and tips to overcome the dreaded « White Page Syndrome »

There is probably nothing more dreadful and problematic for a writer than not being able to get going, being stuck on a menacingly white page. Many a time, one or more writing assignment make us feel like Jack Nicholson in "The Shining"; one step shy of freezing to death in a haunted hedge maze. Once the choke has started its nefarious effect, it becomes quicksand, drowning us further and further into an inability to come up with something to properly put down on paper.

Even scarier is it for us freelance writers, as we usually don't have months ahead of us, but mere days and sometimes even hours before the sledgehammer of a deadline comes crashing down on our head. The problem shouldn't be so scary though, since after all our entire world functions with writing; that means lots of people did find their way out of writer's block. Otherwise, Hamlet's soliloquy would have been "To Be or"¦oh the heck-eth with it!"

Nike's right: Just Do It

As Sean Connery offers to his young apprentice in "Finding Forrester", the key to writing is to physically do it. As soon as you think about what needs to be written, you ARE writing; you're just not writing it down. Like getting up in the morning, going through the motions and the mechanics of it will get the engine started and before you know it, it all comes flowing back.

Get your fingers working, and let it all come out as it comes out, no matter how awkward the wording and chaotic the structure. Once you've had enough, read back what you got, and revise it with a more organized and cool-headed perspective. "Write your first draft with your heart", ol' Sean says, "and rewrite with your head". We should all know better than to doubt 007!

Find the fun you should be having

Writing shouldn't be a burden, even though most of the time it's a job with a certain income as the bottom line; if one has a certain talent for writing, it usually makes the ordeal easier and more agreeable to perform than for someone who can't type two phrases without asking 4 people about the grammar and spelling. Writer's block does that, makes you feel like writing is the last thing on earth you'd rather be doing. And THAT usually has to do with the job part: the subject of a piece isn't really appealing.

So before getting into the grunt of the assignment, warm yourself up with something that does translate into fun for you; write a quick little something, a few phrases, 3 or 4 lines only, about something you DO feel like writing about, that puts you on the path of a good vibe. Write that joke someone told you in that bar the other day, the recipe that got you gaga when last gracing your kitchen, a prayer your grandmother used to have you say before bedtime to save you from monster under the bed, or just a cute little love note to your significant other. Even better, keep those short essays in a dedicated folder; who knows, maybe one day you'll get to publish them into an anthology entitled "Short writings that got me writing".

Lay it out in clear and simple form

It might help to break the spell of writer's block if you clarify exactly what you have to write about; knowing where to go will help knowing where to start. Make a quick bullet-points list of the things you need to address in an article, chapter or paragraph. It'll make your subject less scary to look at then in the chaotic mumbo-jumbo form it seems to be in your head.

Example: writing about mowing the lawn

· Size and number of lawns you have to cut

· Kind of terrain to be faced

· Cost of gas

· Keep the lawn mower in order

· Don't lend your lawn mower to neighbor

Once the list is compiled, give each of the items a short description, a bit of meat to clarify the points you want to make with each of them.

Example: writing about things to consider before mowing the lawn

· Decide if you're going to mow only your lawn or turn this into a business venture of some kind, like offering your service to the neighbors.

· Would in choosing and buying a lawnmower to determine if you're going to do golf course-like terrain or the "Swamp that ate Manhattan".

· Is it better to buy a gas-powered engine or electric; is there a power outlet near by the terrain, is it better to pay for gas cause there's not that much to do in the first place, would a battery-powered model do the trick.

· Am I mechanically savvy enough to keep my lawnmower in order, will I be able to learn about maintenance, do I have storage space to keep it away from the elements, can I have access to yearly check ups when I buy it.

· If my neighbor has bad luck and the mower breaks on him, I'll have to assume he broke it - might make for a really lousy summer or hating my neighbor.

Usually, within these little descriptions and phrasings, you will find good chunks of the article you wanted to compose in the first place but weren't able to visualize. Otherwise, simply take these phrases and make them bigger and longer to work them out until you get something that resembles a body of text. Then it's all downhill from there.

Stick to your strengths

Earning a little money to write a few paragraphs sounds easy at first, and might be followed by the temptation to take on as many freelance jobs as possible to make a bigger buck. Pretty soon though, the grim reality settles: humans can't be fluent on every single subject. That is one situation where the white page starts wreaking havoc, and that is when deadlines begin to be pushed, jobs to be dropped and freelancers to be blacklisted.

As the old adage says, if you don't know what to write about write about what you know. Before bidding on a job or accepting a freelancer position, it is essential to establish a list of one's areas of interest and strength. Once that list is drawn, challenge yourself into crafting at least two articles for each of the chosen areas and subjects. If you like movies, write a review of the last DVD you rented and an opinion piece on the latest troubled celebrity's shenanigans. Finance is a doozy? Then dish out something about tax season and retirement funds. Anything that will help make sure you can and like to write about a subject. When subsequently applying for a position, you'll have plenty of samples to offer and proof that you are the choice candidate to cover the required assignments.

You ARE good enough

Self-consciousness can be a killer, and leads to a depressive state that quite simply freezes our ability to articulate our thoughts with the pen or keyboard. There are hundreds of thousands of writers of any kind out there, so of course there's bound to be a few better ones; it can be pretty easy to start judging one's own writing with others and feel inadequate in comparison.

Keep in mind that freelance writing isn't an Olympics try-out, nor an American Idol audition; Simon Cowell isn't going to humiliate what you thought was talent on national television. Stick to your guns and write your piece the way you felt it should be done, with your own voice; if we all wrote exactly the same things the same way, they'd be no need for human writing, and we could just use feed-it-some-keywords software. Without ignoring constructive criticism, don't let the works of others deprive you of your je ne sais quoi. Instead, use it as a learning tool or inspirational source, without veering into downright thievery of text.

Remember that if you did get a freelance position or were awarded an assignment, you probably showed some qualities to begin with; have faith in your employer's judgment and your own capacities. Read some of your own previous work to refresh your memory about it, and don't let self-depreciation dictate what you can and can't do. But most of all, RELAX. Clarity of mind won't be reached among tumultuous worries.

See how others cope

Like going through a rough break up or not knowing which necktie to wear, talking about your writer's block or learning how others cope with it might help bring a little relief and put things back in perspective. These resources websites will help provide a comforting step in that direction.

Maintained by PhD-holding education experts, this site is dedicated to helping students overcome procrastination and other "psychological impediments" that stop them from complete their school work.

Site that deals addresses writer's block in all its incarnations. Offers diagnosis on what causes the block, resources to confront it, exercises to avoid it and more

Advice from an established fantasy writer on how to overcome the feelings of inadequacy and fear towards one's own writing.

Resources for teachers to help their students overcome their fear and blockage of writing.

The site, dedicated to all things written-word, offers complete section of tools to fight the white page; from books on the subject to forums and even software.

Complete and rich dissertation and study concerning the problem.

Community of exchange for writers to share, discuss and help each other out. Like The X-Files states, you are not alone.

BlinkList | del.icio.us | Digg it | Furl | Netscape | Onlywire | RawSugar | reddit | Spurl | StumbleUpon | Yahoo MyWeb |
By admin Posted in Freelance Writing Tips, Lists 1 Comment

Ways to Get More Customer Referrals for Your Freelance Business

February 19, 2008 – 9:46 pm

Ways to Get More Customer Referrals for Your Business

How to Get More Customer Referrals for Your Freelance Business

 

 

In the world of freelance, customer referrals are everything. The amount of customer referrals will often determine how successful one's business can really be. As word spreads quickly, having customers refer others to you and your services is a wonderful way of gaining new business and making more money. There are a few distinct ways to get more customer referrals for your business.

 

Give 100% Effort All the Time

 

One of the best ways to help ensure that customers will refer your business to friends and family members is to do the best job possible every single time. Nobody wants to refer a less than satisfactory freelancer to those who they know and love. If you put 100% into all of your work you are sure to get customer referrals out of it as well as the satisfaction in knowing that your work is top notch.

 

Ask How Things Went or How a Sick Family Member Is

 

Instead of asking directly for a referral, just be friendly and keep in touch. Ask how the ad you designed is doing with converting their clients to sales. Ask if your customer's mother is out of the hospital yet. If you are an accountant, check to see if your customer has been remembering to save their receipts. And although it seems strange, do this without any sales pitch. You are calling to show that you care, not that are looking for new business.

 

Ask Customers to Refer You to Others

 

Another way to get customer referrals is to ask for them. If you do a good job in your freelancing position, there is no shame in asking others to spread the word for you. This will benefit not only you as a business owner but those who utilize your services as well as they are getting great work which was recommended by someone they know.

 

Know a Gem When You See One

 

Some customers should be treated even more special than others. There are certain customers that can generate buzz around your business. If you think that a specific client could generate a lot of new projects coming in, then cater to their every need. Your hard work will pay off and new customers will come rushing in.

 

Offer Discounts for Referrals

 

If it is within your budget to do so, offer discounts to those who refer your company to others. For example, offer the referring customer 10% off the next job order if they refer someone to you and that individual uses your services. Offering discounts is a great incentive for many to refer companies to potential clients.

 

Is it a Business Card or a Coupon Code?

 

Instead of leaving all of that white space on the back of your business card, why not place a coupon for your services?

 

Customer of the Month

 

Award a "Customer of the Month" every month and see how excited each customer gets. Award a certificate or plaque that can be then hung in your customer's place of business. The award can remind them of your services as well as become an attention getter for visitors of your client's office.

 

Take a Silent Approach to Customer Referrals

 

If you aren't comfortable asking for referrals, you can ask for a referral in writing. How? You can place "We appreciate referrals" on all of your printed and online materials. You might think that this won't work but people see it and remember it, even if only subliminally. Either way, it doesn't hurt to write this on all of your materials, does it?

 

Make Sure That Your Customers Are Getting Their Moneys Worth

 

If you want your customers to refer you to their friends and family then you need to make sure that your customers feel as if they are getting enough value from what they pay you. What are your customers getting for their money? Take the time to think this out and then every chance you get convey this value to your customers.

 

Ask for Comments on Your Website From Past Customers

 

A way in which you can inadvertently obtain customer referrals is to ask customers to leave comments about your services on your website. When comments are posted on a freelancer's website and they are good comments, this will act as a potential referral as interested parties will see the beneficial comments and this will refer them to your company and your service offerings.

 

Use Friends and Family Members in the Quest for Customer Referrals

 

Friends and family members may also play a key part in the referral game. Ask those close to you to get the word out about your business and this may bring in a lot more referrals by doing so. Friends can provide you with referrals, introduce you to prospects, endorse your services, display your business' literature in their homes or offices, and distribute or publish your business information. Just remember to use tact and don't go over the line and be too pushy or salesman-like with your friends and family.

 

Remind Your Customers Why Your Business is Special

 

What do you offer that is different from all other businesses? What makes your customer special compared to other similar businesses. Send newsletters, pr releases, and other business related news to your customer base. This not only reminds them about your services but reassures what they already know about your services - your services are the best.

 

Holiday Promotions.

 

You should take advantage of the holidays. Why not send out a holiday card or gift to past customers to show that you remembered them and that you and your business still exist. Be innovative and you can think of a low priced option...even if it means homemade cookies with your logo baked into the middle. You can even stick a coupon or promotional item in with the card.

 

Make Sure to Incorporate 'Thank You' into Your Business Plan.

 

"˜Thank you' is a very important ingredient in a successful business plan. Make sure to say "˜thank you' to your existing customers, potential customers, to clients after a meeting, peers, and anyone else that you deal with in your business. It is a good idea to follow up meetings with a hand-written thank you note, but emails are better than no thank you card. Creating happy customers also creates more referrals.

 

Print a Calendar for Your Customers.

 

Branded calendars are one of the best promotional items that a business could give out. They are useful and they are hung on the wall for everyone to see. Wouldn't it be a nice thought to print out a calendar filled with your designs and give it out to your customers? Or even better yet, You could utilize cafepress.com to print out a personalized calendar including your customer's campaign with you, with your business information on every page of the calendar. A calendar is usually displayed where everyone can see it and needs to be constantly referred to for dates. A calendar is a perfect promotional item for your business and is well worth the money.

 

Give Your Best Customers Something of Real Value

 

Customers often don't want to refer their friends to your freelance business because of the fear that you might mess up their friend's project. In order to ensure that your customer will tell their friends about you, offer your best customers some nice gifts to give to their friends. Your customer will feel selfish if they don't follow through and give these gifts to their friends. In order to ensure that the customer doesn't keep the gift, offer your customer a referral award.

 

Every Customer Gets 2 Cards

 

When you send out your customer's invoice, how about paper clipping 2 business cards onto your invoice or correspondence with a personal note asking your customer to keep one and to give the other one to someone who could use your services. If you have a good relationship with your customer, he or she will be glad to help.

 

Keep an Open Line of Communication

 

One of the most important services that you can give to your customers is communication. While you are working with a customer, on a semi-daily basis touch base with your customer. Your time and concern will translate into happier customers which in return will translate into more customer referrals.

 

First Projects and Interactions with a Customer Counts Most

 

It is important to be the best that you can be at all times, but especially with your first interactions with them You probably didn't know that a new customer can take up to eight negative interactions with you as long as you both have a positive interaction at your first meeting. This doesn't mean that you can be a jerk after the first time that you meet, it just means that you should pay the most attention to your first meeting together. What are you going to do with your new customer to make sure that there is a positive impression of you?

 

Why Did You Lose That Customer?

 

If you lost a customer, then you should find out why they left. If you lost one customer for a specific reason, you will probably lose more customers for the exact same reasons. It is perfectly fine to call and ask why you lost your customer's services. If this sounds too scary for you, then send out a questionnaire with the hard questions.

 

Networking with Other Freelancers and Businesses

 

If you are serious about getting more customer referrals, then networking with other freelancers is a great way to do this. Some great ways to do this is by attending Chamber of Commerce events, networking events, volunteering at high visibility non-profits in a high visibility position, church memberships, and anything else that will get you face to face with people. One of the large networking associations for business owners is BNI - Business Networking International. They hold weekly lunch meetings and include one individual for each business professional. Their website has a listing of meetings that can be searched by zip code.

 

Approaching Local Businesses

 

Try approaching similar local businesses and shops and offering your services in return for free promotion of your services. For example, if you are a muralist, offer your local pediatrician a free mural in exchange for your business cards being placed out on the front desk. If your mural is good, just think how many clients you would get from that one free mural. That free mural would pay for itself in no time. One mural could keep you busy for the rest of your career (because once you get clients, word of mouth keeps your business going).

 

Utilize Friendship Marketing

 

Find local businesses and co-market each other's business. The idea is to include each others' promotional material in outbound orders, such as flyers, coupons, business cards, or freebies. One site to help you find sites interested in such partnerships is Mom Packâ„¢ . However, if you want to use friendship marketing locally, you will most likely have to mail, phone, or visit potential marketing partners to create the partnership.

 

Another idea for friendship marketing would be to offer customer referrals in exchange for displaying your business cards. An example of a situation where this would work is with a graphic designer offering to sending all of their customers to a specific printing company in exchange for that printing company displaying that designer's business cards. It is a win - win situation for both parties.

 

Placing 'Invite Friends' or 'Send Article to Friends' Buttons on Your Web Site.

 

At the minimum, you should place an 'Invite Friends' button to your web site's front page. However, it would work really well if you placed a 'Send article to friends' button on all of your article pages as well.

 

Start an Affiliate Program.

 

Starting an affiliate program is sometimes the best way to go. The way that this works is that you pay a certain set fee for every referral. This is good for people who don't want to pay anything out of pocket for advertising, unless they get a referral that is. Here is an article on how to start an affiliate program.

 

Provide Monthly Advice Chats.

 

Provide monthly advice chats where people who need help can chat online with you if they need help in your expertise. Tell all your customers about this and tell them that their friends and family are welcome to join in.

 

Offer a Guarantee.

 

Potential clients might be concerned with changing freelancers and using your services for the first time. Address this concern by offering a satisfaction guaranteed claim. Tell your customers about this guarantee and they will be more likely to put out their neck for you and to refer their friends and family members.

 

Join a Word of Mouth Referral Club.

 

Join a word of mouth referral club and get qualified leads.

 

Keep Track of Referrals

 

Keep track of where and how you are getting successful customer referrals. Buy tracking referrals, you will know what works and what doesn't work.

 

Other Similar Articles Online

 

Never Ask for Referrals - Referrals are an outcome of doing things well. When you take care of your customers and you do it better than anyone else, referrals should come your way.

 

Seth's Blog : How to Get Referrals - Given the no-win nature of most referrals, you need to reset your expectations and consider a few ideas.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BlinkList | del.icio.us | Digg it | Furl | Netscape | Onlywire | RawSugar | reddit | Spurl | StumbleUpon | Yahoo MyWeb |
By admin Posted in Client Referrals, Client Relationships, Self Promotion 3 Comments

20 Ways to Promote Your Freelance Services Using Forum Marketing Techniques

February 6, 2008 – 4:37 pm

Marketing and Promoting Your Freelance Services Using Forum Marketing Techniques

How Freelancers Can Market Their Services Using Forum Marketing Techniques

As a freelancer, you are probably always looking for ways to find more clients and to tout your services to the general public. Luckily, there are quite a few ways to go about marketing your business these days. One such way is to use forum marketing techniques to promote yourself as an expert in your field. There are a few distinct ways in which freelancers can market their services through techniques of this type.

DON'T SPAM

I run a Graphic Design Forum and it gets a lot of spam. For this very reason, I am writing this article about marketing your business on forums. I am hoping that some people will read this article and realize the error in their ways. (I can hope, can't I?) First of all, what is forum spam? This is when someone goes into a forum and just recklessly posts ads or a message that is evidently only posted to add a link. Even posting just one ad is spam unless you have permission from the admin or moderator. On most forums this activity will not only get you banned, but you will also anger all of the users. As you can see, spamming forums shouldn't be a part of your business marketing strategy. Instead of spamming forums, I suggest that you use the following tactics to promote your freelance business through forums.

Find Popular Forums to Join

In order to have the biggest bang for your time, you should join the more popular forums in your market. I suggest doing a Google search for forums in your niche market by doing a search for your niche +forum. Take a look at the forum and see if it is regularly posted to. If the forum gets at least 25-50+ posts per day and has at least a few thousand members, then this is a forum that you will want to join. If the forum doesn't accept urls in the signature or profile, then it probably isn't the right forum for self promotion.

Post a Cheerful Introduction Message

Almost every forum has an Introduction section. This is where you are going to want to introduce yourself to the online community. Since each forum has different rules and policies, you should read other user's introductions to see what is acceptable. You can even refer to rules that might be posted. If you see that other users are posting urls, then you can passively mention your business within the introduction, otherwise avoid mention of specific business details. However, it is usually okay to post a url in your signature. In the Introduction, you will want to sound excited about joining the community. The last thing that you want to do is sound as if you are just there to get free attention for your freelance business.

Dress Up Your Forum Profile

Think of your forum profile page as "˜real' web pages that might get spidered by search engines or viewed by other forum users. Fill out all of the relevant information on your profile to show that you are an avid member. Add keyword relevant content on your profile page without being 'spammy' about it. This will help with internal searches and possibly also with Google and other search engines. Of course, make sure to add your URL to your personal forum profile.

Use a Memorable Avatar

You may not realize it, but by passing on uploading your picture, you are also passing on an opportunity to get people's attention turned towards you. A great way to get pictures to click on your profile is by using a funny or extremely interesting picture as your avatar. You are trying to get people talking about you and your avatar so take this seriously. Find or create an avatar that matches your personality and one that is either very humorous, super weird, or just really cool. Also, people are very visual and they are much more likely to remember you if you have a picture to remember you by. Also, it is well known that spammers almost never take the time to upload an avatar to their account.

Provide Helpful Advice

Forums are the main place in which individuals go to gain information from others knowledgeable in the area being discussed. By providing helpful advice to those who view the forum, you are catering to their needs which creates a favorable impression of you. People will also take notice if you are knowledgeable about things that they are bad at. Don't be surprised if you get a lot of questions that eventually turn into contract work for you.

Don't Sell Your Business - Sell Yourself

One thing to keep in mind is that selling your business on forums will just put you in a bad light. People will strongly dislike you if they know that these are your intentions. Instead, sell yourself by consistently showing others that you are knowledgeable, considerate, and good at what you do.

Answer Introduction Messages

Most users take the time to write an introduction message. Be one of the first people to welcome these new users to the community and they will remember you.

Express Knowledgeable Statements

Not only should your statements be helpful but they should be knowledgeable as well. Formatting your comments correctly and with much thought will help to get your point across and show readers just how knowledgeable you truly are on the subject.

Be Sure to Produce Backlinks

After you have become a respected member of the community, it should be okay to every once in a while link to an article or resource on your site. If you aren't sure if this is allowed then you should ask the moderator, but as long as you are a useful member of a community, it probably will be appreciated. After you have expressed your point of view on the subject at hand, make sure to include a link to your website or blog where potential customers can contact you. This is an excellent way to generate new business as individuals viewing your forum post will want to learn more about you and perhaps contact you for freelance work.

Write a Useful Guide

A great way to gain the respect of all of the forum users is by writing a helpful guide in your niche. Hopefully you will be able to link to this guide from all over the forum. How do you do that? You can refer to specific pages in your guide when answering related questions. You should ask the moderator or admin first, but it should be fine as long as you already established yourself as a respected user. You will find that this will start a viral effect and your site's clickthroughs will skyrocket by direct forum traffic and by forum members posting your link to other forums and sites that they frequent.

Produce a Lot of Forum Posts

The more forum posts you produce the more likely you will be to expand your customer base. By getting your name out there as much as possible and advertising your freelance work, you are expanding your chances of experiencing a growing client base. You can try to post topics that have a lot of controversy or discussion potential to get noticed, as long as you aren't being obnoxious or rude.

Utilize the Private Message

Reaching out and talking to people personally is a great way to become closer to people in the community. Don't pm people about your business, but rather offer personalized advice if you see that someone is struggling or in need of a little extra motivation or help. You will find that this will pay off and you should have a huge network of friends in no time.

Utilize the Points System

If the forum that you are using utilizes a points or karma type system, then you should add points to members posts and profiles so that they might do the same for you. This also is a good way to get noticed and increase your chance of making new friendships.

Visit Different Forums to Capture a Larger Audience

It is not only vital to visit one specific forum many times and post there frequently but you should also visit multiple sites as well. Since not everyone visits one specific forum on a particular subject matter, getting your name and link out there on various forums will again increase your chances of gaining more business.

State Your Experience with the Subject

It is not simply enough to make statements concerning the subject matter but you should also be sure to state how you know about a certain subject. Doing so will help to improve your credibility and make others more willing to contact you in the future for freelancing positions.

Don't be Rude or Crass

Be professional and courteous. This means not cursing or debasing people by religion, culture, or their beliefs. This doesn't mean that you can't be funny, in fact you should try to be funny to get people to like you.

Don't Say Nasty Things About Other Businesses

Although it might be tempting to write nasty things about your competitors, refrain from this immaturity. This isn't a fair business practice and you wouldn't want another business owner doing this to you. It is also not a good practice to complain about businesses that don't use good business practices because then you will give them the coverage that they crave.

Create Cool Effects in Your Forum Posts

A neat way of getting noticed is to format your forum posts a little different. People will stop and wonder how you did it, and this gives you a higher chance of clicks on your signature or on to your profile. This program called PawSoft Fass is freeware that allows you to change the color of forum post text color, fonts, etc.

Add Popular Members to Your Buddy List

If the forum that you are using includes a buddy list system, then you should find the users with the highest post counts and add them as your buddy. Now you can track these users and post comments to their threads and private message them with questions or advice. This goes a long way to build trusting friendships and business relationships.

 

More Articles Online That Might Be Helpful to You

How to Market Through Forums - Forum marketing can be one of the most powerful ways of branding yourself. Here you will capture the best prospects to secure a pro-active downline. Be sure you do this right!

The Best Way to Market Yourself Through Forums - Some of you might be familiar with forum marketing, but most don't really see the power of this method. I will try to draw you a picture of all the positive effects forum marketing can have on your internet business. I will also show you what most people do wrong and how you can get the most out of it.

Self Promotion Tips : Online Forums - Have you ever noticed the same individuals appear over and over in forums dispensing advice. It's a marketing tactic that has been used for years and it works. Mike Merz discusses the tactic in this article and also provides a great list of forums to post to.

Promoting Your Online Home Business : Using Forums To Build Your Internet Home Business - Having just spent time in my favorite forum catching up on today`s posts it occurred to me that forums are not just great places to pick up Internet business ideas and meet new net entrepreneurs, but how essential they are to help build an Internet home business.

The Ins and Outs of Forum Marketing - I'm going to outline a few of the benefits of participating in forums as well as give you some basic tips for building a strong profile and using them to help your business.

Using Forum And Blogs To Generate Tons Of Laser Targeted Free Traffic - For every subject that you can possibly imagine and probably a few that you would most likely never want to imagine, there are people gathered on the Internet on blog and forum sites who are discussing it"¦ at great length.

Viral Marketing Using Forums - There are different types of forums, beyond the obvious topical types, of "marketing" or "special interest", etc. "Marketing" and "special interest" are two types of what are commonly referred to as "open forums".

Explode Your Viral Marketing Efforts Using Forums! - Viral Selling sounds like something bad but it is actually something very good. It is, also, a powerful manner to bring forth traffic to your website.

Do you want to promote your website? - Leveraging forums to promote your products, services, or website is a good idea if you've got time on your hands, but no money to advertise.

Using Forums as a Key Marketing Component - There has recently been debate over the role of forums in the now social network driven Internet. With newer web 2.0 social sites such as Facebook, Digg, and StumbleUpon gaining popularity, many think forums will be pushed out and are in danger of extinction.

 

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BlinkList | del.icio.us | Digg it | Furl | Netscape | Onlywire | RawSugar | reddit | Spurl | StumbleUpon | Yahoo MyWeb |
By admin Posted in Online Self Promotion, Self Promotion 4 Comments

60+ Unique Ideas for Marketing Your Business Offline & Locally

January 24, 2008 – 1:25 pm
Unique and Innovative Ways to Market Your Business Locally and Offline

60+ Unique Ideas for Marketing Your Business Offline & Locally

It's easy to remember to promote your freelance business online. After all, you're probably online a good portion of the day already and it's practically second nature to do things online that promote your business. But what the freelancers who are savvy in the Web 2.0 world tend to forget is that there was a whole world of business happening before the Internet ever made its way through the office doors. Although online promotion is important for your freelance business, it's crucial to remember to go back to your basics and do offline promoting as well locally, nationwide, and worldwide depending on who you are marketing to.

Note: If you like this article, you will also like this article : 120 Self Promotional Ideas for Freelancers

Talk About Your Business

One of the best and most inexpensive ways to market your business locally is by word of mouth. Word spreads fast and this can be beneficial for freelancers who are trying to gain new clients and increase their popularity. Talk to people who you run into at your local Starbucks, supermarket or library and tell them a little bit about your business offerings in a casual way. You will often find that, if done right and subtly, this is a great way to gain new clientèle in the local area.

Networking with Other Local Freelancers

I've always found that the best way - hands down - for a consultant to build his/her business is by networking. This includes attending Chamber of Commerce events, networking events, volunteering at high visibility non-profits in a high visibility position, church memberships, and anything else that will get you face to face with people. One of the large networking associations for business owners is BNI - Business Networking International. They hold weekly lunch meetings and include one individual for each business professional. Their website has a listing of meetings that can be searched by zip code.

Advertisements in Free Local Magazines/Newspapers

Another way to get the word out regarding your freelance business in your local area is to take advantage of free local magazines/newspapers available in your vicinity. You will most likely have to pay to have an ad placed in these periodicals but the good news is that large numbers of individuals will read the items since they are free.

Billboards and Other Types of Signs

If you can afford to do so, taking out an advertisement on a billboard is an excellent way to get yourself noticed in your local area and gain clients for your freelance business. Just think of how often you notice signs and billboards in your local area when you are driving around town and sitting at traffic lights. Advertisements in the way of billboards or a more economical type of sign may bring in quite a bit of new business for your freelance venture.

Marketing Yourself with a Business Card

Another important thing that you should do to promote your business offline is to make sure that people don't just know what you do but also how to reach you if they're ever interested in your freelance services. Business cards are the number one method of doing this. Make sure that yours are eye catching and also that they include all of your various methods of contact (email, phone, address, etc.) as well as your web address(es). Hand your business cards out liberally to anyone who might have any reason to contact you. Give them a second one at the same time; they might throw it away, but who knows, they might also pass it along.

Be Unique with Your Business Cards

Business cards usually have an entire back that is blank. Utilize this space to print a coupon for your services. Or do something completely unique that hasn't been done before. Get some great ideas for business card designs with these amazing examples.

Business Cards in Local Establishments

You may also find it useful to post your business cards in local establishments. Places such as coffeehouses and libraries will often have a notice board where individuals can post flyers, business cards and ads. Many individuals view these boards to see what new services are posted and putting your business card up there might be another good way to draw in new business.

Branded Freebie Items

Handing out branded free items is a great way to etch your business name into people's memory. Purchase useful items that people will keep and look at multiple times per day. Items such as refrigerator magnets, mousepads, calendars, and key chains are all items that are seen multiple times throughout the day. If you hand out refrigerator magnets, hopefully every time potential clients open up their fridge, they will see your magnet. Next time they need services that you offer, hopefully they will think of you and give you a call. Make sure to have your logo, contact information, and web url printed out on the freebie item.

Yellow Page Ads

Although the Internet is a commonly perused resource for information people still use the good old Yellow Pages. Putting an advertisement in the Yellow Pages stating your particular freelance business and services offered is a good way to put your name out there.

Hang Up Flyers and Posters Around Town

Although it seems quite juvenile, hanging up flyers and posters in strategic locations actually works. When I started my business, I received call after call about my services. All of these calls were coming from the flyer that I hung up in my local library. It works. Some other places that you could consider hanging up your flyers or posters are supermarkets, malls, social clubs and business centers. Make sure that you are allowed to hang up your flyer before you hang it up. Most companies require a signature from the office manager before a poster or flyer can be hung up.

Local Activities and Groups Websites

Many cities and towns will have one or many websites dedicated to information about the particular town. The websites may focus on events in the area or other similar types of information. Since these websites often need to make money to stay afloat they will try to get advertisers to pay to post ads on the site. Posting your freelance job offerings on a local website such as this may also promote your business and gain new clientèle.

I'll Scratch Your Back if You Scratch Mine

Try approaching local shops and offering your services in return for free promotion of your services. For example, if you are a muralist, offer your local pediatrician a free mural in exchange for your business cards being placed out on the front desk. If your mural is good, just think how many clients you would get from that one free mural. That free mural would pay for itself in no time. One mural could keep you busy for the rest of your career (because once you get clients, word of mouth keeps your business going).

Try Your Best to Get Interviewed by a Radio Station or Newspaper

Try to get free PR by asking local newspapers and radio stations to interview you. This free PR will bring customers left and right if it goes well.

Movie Theater Ads

Do you know those ads that run across the screen before a movie comes on at the theater? Well, those ads are paid for by local companies. Contact your local movie theater to see how much these ads run for. Maybe this would be worthwhile and bring you some business.

Your Local Cable Channels

You have probably seen the ads that run on your local television channel(s). Sometimes these ads are rolling while they play music. Enquire with your local cable company to see how expensive it is to run an ad.

Take Advantage of Bored Bus and Train Passengers

Most bus stops have a spot to list an advertisement. People waiting in the bus stop are usually bored out of their minds. Give them an advertisement to focus on while you have their attention. Maybe when they arrive at work, they will give you a call hire you for a project. Another option is to purchase an ad on the side of the bus or on the inside of the bus.

Print Out Funny and / or Unique Bookmarks

Promote your business in a fun way by printing out funny and / or unique bookmarks (with your biz info on it as well) and place them in book stores, libraries, and coffee shops.

Schedule Speaking Engagements

Although we all have a shy side, if we are going to have a successful freelance business, we have to learn to swallow our pride and network with others whenever we get a chance. Try to get your foot in the door to host presentations or seminars. The more people you can get in front of the better. You will become known as the expert in your field in your local area and your business will boom. Also, you should try to find out more about professional groups in your career field. Do they exist in your area? If they do, you should join and network amongst your peers. You would be surprised at how many jobs can come from these professional groups.

Write a Column in Your Local Newspapers and Magazines

Try Submitting your great ideas to local newspapers and magazines. Publishers are always looking for content and it is a great way to get the word out about your knowledge in your specific field.

Do Something Controversial for the Free PR.

Try doing something controversial to get free PR for your business. Don't do anything too crazy though"¦I don't want to hear about you in the news.

Utilize Friendship Marketing

Find local businesses and co-market each other's business. The idea is to include each others' promotional material in outbound orders, such as flyers, coupons, business cards, or freebies. One site to help you find sites interested in such partnerships is Mom Packâ„¢ . However, if you want to use friendship marketing locally, you will most likely have to mail, phone, or visit potential marketing partners to create the partnership.

Another idea for friendship marketing would be to offer customer referrals in exchange for displaying your business cards. An example of a situation where this would work is with a graphic designer offering to sending all of their customers to a specific printing company in exchange for that printing company displaying that designer's business cards. It is a win - win situation for both parties.

Research Local Businesses

It is important to focus your energy on where there is likely to be a need for your services. One way to find out which local business that you should focus your energy on, you will need to research. Uncovering a business opportunity often times requires broadening the range of your skills and services. Since you are targeting all sorts of different businesses you will often need to learn about different industries in order to be useful. You might find that you want to focus on one industry, for example, only targeting restaurants. For example, if you are a graphic designer and you wanted to target restaurants, you could create sample online menus, downloadable coupons, reservations, take out orders, and any other innovative ideas to draw in the prospect's interest. In fact, imagination and creativity are your keys to success.

Excellent tools for researching local businesses are :

1. Yellow Pages

2. Chamber of Commerce

3. Better Business Bureau

4. Department of Small Business Development

5. Trade Associations

6. Search Engines

7. Purchased Lists

Use Your Car as a Moving Advertisement

We have all seen the cars driving by with company names and contact information printed all over them. This is nothing new, plumbers and electricians have been doing it as long as I have been alive. There is no reason why you can't employ this same tactic. You can either go the expensive route and have your company information imprinted on your car or you can go the inexpensive route and get a professionally printed magnet to stick on your car.

These magnets come in pretty large sizes and run about $35 to buy one.

Ask Local Friends and Family Members for Help

Just because you are not in a business relationship with friends and family, don't let the opportunity to utilize your friends' resources slip away. Friends can provide you with referrals, introduce you to prospects, endorse your services, display your business' literature in their homes or offices, and distribute or publish your business information. Just remember to use tact and don't go over the line and be too pushy or salesman-like with your friends and family.

The Radio Can Be Your Friend

Believe it or not, the radio can be more effective than television advertising and often more cost effective too. If you decide to advertise on the radio, then I suggest that you find professional help to develop a radio campaign for you. However, radio is very seldom likely to work as a sole medium for an advertising campaign unless you put a significant amount of investment into it. Trying to buy one or two commercials a day in a run-of-schedule rotation is throwing your money away if the results you expect are lines of people at your door. You need more repetition and a great promotion to draw that kind of notice.

You Should be a Walking Advertisement

You should wear your clothes and accessories as an advertisement. What do I mean by this? You should buy hats, shirts, coats, and bags with your company information on it. Now everywhere you go, people will see your advertisement and possibly even ask you about it. Your shirt or hat or whatever is a great icebreaker. Won't it be nice for someone to ask you about your company rather than having to get into another uncomfortable position where you need to bring up your company out of nowhere?

Road Signs as Marketing Signs

You see people hanging up signs on road signs. It might be tacky, but it must work if people continue to do it. I have never done this because I think it is in bad taste. However, if you are braver than me, give it a try. WARNING: Don't Cover Road Signs, only use the post. Otherwise you could accidentally cause an accident.

Stay in Contact with Past Coworkers

You should stay in contact with past companies that you worked for as an employee. Make sure to let them know that you are available for outsourced projects that might pop up.

Your Checks Too

On your business checks, you should write a tagline underneath your business' name. A good tagline would be something like "We design brochure and logos". You never know who will see your check and be interested in your services.

Create Your Own Locally Published Directory Online and / or Offline

Create your own local business directory to get to network with other local business owners and to get your name out there in a unique way.

Distribute Your Free Printed Newsletter to Local Businesses

Many small businesses love getting free magazines and newsletters for their customers to read. Distributing your own printed newsletters is an effective way to promote your business. Allow people to cut out a postcard to subscribe to your printed newsletter (or provide a web site url for them to subscribe). So as you can see, by having a printed newsletter, you are collecting mailing address information about potential customers. And a benefit is that printed newsletters can be virtually free if you use your own printer. Writing articles for your printed newsletter is time consuming, but it is worth it when you prove yourself to be an expert in your field to your local area.

Newsletter Cross-Promotion Works

Find other industry leaders who publish newsletters. Cross promote in each other's newsletters. Don't cross promote in a direct competitor's newsletter, but rather find someone who is in a similar field. For example, print designers could promote themselves with web designers, photographers, writers, etc.

Get Involved in Social Events

Social events are a great place to network too. Just don't overdo it. Just be friendly and there will be an appropriate time to mention what you do. Some examples of social events are church, synagogue, and school events.

Your Mail and Packages Too

On all of your outgoing packages and mail, you should include your Company Name, tagline, and website (if you have one). Just purchase a stamp or labels and this will be an easy task and a cheap advertisement that might get noticed"¦you never know who will see it and give your business a chance.

Participate in Trade Shows

Get a leg up in your industry by participating in trade shows. This is a great way of getting your name out to industry leaders.

Sponsor a Local Sports Team

Sponsoring a local Little League baseball team or other sports team is a great way to get noticed. Your company name all over the kids' uniforms is a lot of recognition for your company AND it feels great to do as well.

A CD-ROM Business Cards

Why not be different and create a CD-ROM business card. Pass out your CD-Business Card at trade shows, seminars, fairs, or anywhere. You can even send them in a direct mail piece.

A Business Card as a Guide

A great idea is to create business cards that unfold into a mini-guide. Your business card can be a guide that helps your potential customers with field related topics. For example, a graphic designer's card could open up into a mini-guide for printing, fonts, colors, etc.

Business Card Magnets

Business Card Magnets are a great way to keep your business card handy and useful. I always need more magnets, and I keep all of the magnets that I get. Maybe other people do.

Come Up with an Elevator Speech

An elevator pitch is a short speech that can be delivered in the time it takes you and someone else (poor soul) to get from the ground floor to the top floor. You need to come up with a short speech that in that short amount of time will pique the interest of whomever gets stuck with you during that ride. Even though it is called an elevator speech, that doesn't mean that it can only be given in an elevator

Offer Your Services for Free to a Local Non-Profit Charity

Why not do something good and at the same time get some great coverage. Provide a free service to a local charity in exchange for some sort of promotional coverage of your business. For example, if you are a Graphic Designer, offer to design a charity's brochure for free. In return, you can ask to have "˜Thanks to ABCDEFG Company for Donating the Design of this brochure". This is great coverage and great PR. Call the local newspaper and media and tell them about your good deed. You could get some great coverage and get a good feeling from doing a good deed.

Sponsor a Charity Event

Sponsor a local charity event and get recognition for your company (along with the resulting good feeling of helping a charity). Call the local newspaper and media and tell them about your good deed. You could get some great coverage and get a good feeling from doing a good deed.

Offer Free Consultations to Potential Clients

People love to get things for free. Utilize this knowledge to your advantage. Sometimes just offering a free consultation will land you the job, however, sometimes it won't. When a client meets with you, you already have your foot in the door, so I think that it is worth the risk (if you are just starting out that is).

Offer Free Demonstrations of Your Services

Visit local businesses (that are related to your services) and offer to provide free demonstrations and lessons to their customers. Promise that you won't schmooze the customers and they will probably take you up on your offer. After all, by providing your free demonstrations, more customers will come into their store that day. Make sure to have leaflets, business cards, flyers, and promotional freebies available for everyone.

Yuck...Cold Call Potential Customers.
I don't like cold calling, but I have done it. I wrote an article about cold calling a few years back. You can refer to it right here.

Create a New Local Holiday

Who says that you can't create your own holiday? I never seen or heard about a law against this. Get creative and make a holiday up that promotes your business' services. Some examples of a new holiday are "Free Ice Cream Day" or "Give Art to a Friend Day". The most important part of this process is to publicize, market, and announce your new holiday. You will get noticed and hopefully receive new customer contracts.

Every Customer Gets 2 Cards

How about paper clipping 2 business cards onto your invoice or correspondence with a personal note asking your customer to keep one and to give the other one to someone who could use your services. If you have a good relationship with your customer, he or she will be glad to help.

Bribe Your Customers

There is nothing wrong with a little bribe, right? Well, in that case, why not offer your customers an incentive to refer new customers to you. Why not offer a percentage off your customer's next (or current) order if they refer a friend to you. Now your customers will have a reason to talk about you and your services.

Find an Agent to Promote You and Your Services

If you are having way too many problems finding new customer leads, then maybe you should consider finding an agent to promote your services. When your agent finds you a client, they you will need to give your agent a percentage of your profits.

Sponsor a Local Contest or Event

A good way to get local recognition is by sponsoring a local contest or event, such as a fair, an art show, or a play.

Customer of the Month

Award a "Customer of the Month" every month and see how excited each customer gets. Award a certificate or plaque that can be then hung in your customer's place of business. The award can remind them of your services as well as become an attention getter for visitors of your client's office.

Call in to Radio Shows

Call into talk radio shows and somehow try to shamelessly plug your business without appearing as if that was what you were calling for. Free PR is always fun.

Get Listed with Trade Associations.

Sign up with relevant trade associations and get listed in their offline directories. I would list these trade associations but since I don't know what field you are in, you will need to find these on your own. Good luck.

Free Note Pads with Coupons

People eat up free note pads because they are so useful to have around. An innovative way to market your services is to pass out free notepads to people that have ads intermingled every ten pages or so. Your sales will almost definitely pick up with this marketing strategy.

Direct Mail Campaign

Create a mailing list yourself by looking in the phonebook, using an online directory, The Chamber of Commerce, The Better Business Bureau, or by contacting trade associations. Or you can purchase a mailing list from many online sites. A well designed and written direct mail can help your business brand awareness and even result in many new customers.

Create a Unique Organization.

You can try creating a unique local organization appealing to a target group of members. Many associations and organizations have been created to market a business. You can either create a group to target all business owners or create a targeted niche market such as publishing. Get creative, have fun, and get noticed.

Be a Sneaky Snake at Libraries and Book Stores

If you are having troubles finding business leads, then this tactic might work for you. Although, it might also work against you. Go to local book stores and libraries and place business cards in books that make sense to your business. When people find your business card, maybe they will give you a call. On the other hand, you might get in trouble from the library or book store. Or, the person who finds the business card might think that you are a jerk for putting your business card in the book. Who knows though, it could work for you.

Connect Yourself with Local News or Current Events

A good way to get into the local newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV is to tie yourself in with current local events. Find a news story that you can connect to as a freelancer. For example, if you are a freelance dietician and you see a news report about the increase in obesity amongst children, you just found yourself a good story. Issue a press release to local media and get yourself on local radio shows and in newspapers and magazines as an expert in your field.

Flyers in the Bathroom Stall

I know, I know, this one is a little desperate. But, if you are desperate for more business, then swallow your pride and stick flyers on the inside of bathroom stalls.

Stand Out at Trade Shows Before it Begins

Paying special attention to trade-show attendees the night before a trade show can be hugely successful in leading to new business. It is very important that you stand out in the crowd. In order to get a leg up on competition, start working on networking the night before. Hang up marketing door hangers on hotel rooms boasting discounted rates. You can also leave branded freebies in front of hotel room doors. An additional detail that will get noticed is if you write a personal note stating how excited you are to meet them at the trade show the next day. You will stand out and definitely be noticed.

Stand on a Corner with Balloons and a Sign

Now you are really getting desperate. This might actually work, but your pride will be left on the street corner.

Nominate Yourself for an Award

There are many awards given by many organizations that accept self-nominations. Ask your local Chamber of Commerce or look around the internet. Nominate yourself and then once nominated, publicize it with a press release. Once you are awarded the award, you should then send out another press release. After you win, you can now write about yourself as an "˜award winning freelancer'.

We live in a fast-paced, high-tech world and it's critical to your freelance business that you're able to market it efficiently online but you should always keep in mind that there are a number of potential clients that aren't as web savvy as you are. Offline marketing of your freelance business is as important now as it ever was, so if it's an area that you aren't comfortable in, start learning. Take a marketing class, read a book about how to promote your business or talk to people who have been self-employed for a long time to get tips on great ways to market your freelance business without using the web.

Note: If you like this article, you will also like this article : 120 Self Promotional Ideas for Freelancers

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BlinkList | del.icio.us | Digg it | Furl | Netscape | Onlywire | RawSugar | reddit | Spurl | StumbleUpon | Yahoo MyWeb |
By admin Posted in Freelancing & Self Employment, Getting Started, Lists, Self Promotion, Working From Home 12 Comments

26 Things to Do When Business is Slow and in Downtime Mode

January 19, 2008 – 1:34 am

What to Do When Business is Slow
26 Ideas for Freelancers When Business is in Downtime Mode

Ideas for what to do when business is slow for freelancers

Freelancers are in a great position in that they have the freedom to work when they want to and they have the choice to take a vacation whenever they are in the mood. With that said, some freelancers are anxious to work day in and day out which may present a problem for them when business is slow. However, there are many things which freelancers can do to bide their time while waiting for new work to come in.

Brainstorm and Doodle

Perhaps one of the most constructive things which freelancers can do while business is slow is to brainstorm. How often do we have a free block of time to just sit there and think? Think about what your goals are for the following year. What will you need to do to meet or beat those goals?

Search for New Jobs

Perhaps one of the most constructive things which freelancers can do while business is slow is to search for new jobs. Depending on the type of freelance work one pursues, this can involve cold calls, searching the Internet for job opportunities, handing out flyers, putting advertisements in the paper or using one's contacts to expand their client base. No matter what the desired route in the pursuit of jobs may be, searching for new jobs is a great way to spend your down time when business is slow.

Organize Your Home Office

Another way to keep yourself busy when business is slow is to organize your home office. Since there is often little time to do so when the days are busy and work is flowing in, tidying up the home office is always a wonderful way to spend your off days. This may involve anything from organizing files and contact lists to purchasing new home office equipment. Whatever it may be, use the time when business is slow to get things in order within your home office setting. Go through all the useless piles of papers, magazines, and other junk that have been getting in your way for as long as you can remember, and get rid of them once and for all. Remember the this organizational mantra: Do it, Ditch it or Delegate it. Your goal is to reorganize your office in a manner that will allow you to find what you need in 60 seconds or less. This will optimize your time when work starts pouring back in.

Get a Head Start on Your Taxes

Quarterly taxes are never too far away. There is no time like the present to get ready for tax season. Use this free time to prepare your tax files so that you can get taxes down it a snap when tax time pops up out of nowhere (as it always does). Some things that you can do are:

  • Make sure your books are up to date.
  • Go through your expense receipts and categorize them.
  • Estimate your last tax payment for the current year.
  • Put all digital receipts in a digital folder.
  • Make sure all of your payers have your correct information for when they send out 1099s.

Good Will Towards All Clients

Use this extra time on your hands as an excuse to be nice to your past clients and potential clients (companies who almost used your services). If you are out of work around the holidays, send out a holiday card to them (nondenominational card as to not offend them). Even if it isn't around the holidays, you can still take the time to write a personal note to your client (preferably snail mail) in which you thank them for using your services. You can also include a coupon, certificate, or freebie in the envelope. This is a good way to just place yourself in their mind. This way if they do need some work done, they will hopefully hire you to complete it.

Add Services Depending on Your Clients' Needs

During slow business times, you should focus your attention to new ways to make money for your business. This might mean that you learn a new skill or that you start doing work that you don't necessarily enjoy. Once you get your feet back on the ground, you can change your direction and outsource this extra work. But for right now, you need some work and beggers can't be choosers.

Just think about all the business that you are throwing away. Lets say that you are a web designer. Someone who needs a web site