Marketing yourself online is a very handy tool to have, no matter what your ambitions are.
You may be a networker, real estate agent, some other kind of sales person, personal trainer, nutritionist, writer, speaker etc, the list here is endless.
I am specifically writing this blog as I have had a few people ask me for advice on how to market themselves online and will no doubt get more people asking the same question in the future. So here it is...
Corey's 7 Hot Tips to Marketing Yourself Online.
Tip 1 - Know who your target market are, everything you do will be based around this key point, for example, a real estate agent might "specialise" in first home buyers / Sellers OR Multi-million dollar estates. You wouldn't try to market yourself to both as they are completely different target markets and you would do yourself more harm than good. Every industry will have a huge variety of different types of people within it, so it is very important to know which people you want to engage.
Tip 2 - Now that you know who your target market are, you need to present yourself as an expert in that particular field. This should be reflected in your bio's of social media sites, any comments you make and your status updates. You want people to see that you live and breath this particular skill/industry.
Tip 3 - Start a Blog, Fanpage, Business Page or all of the above. This should be completely separate to your personal profile and strictly about your business and or service. Include what you do, who you do it for, how you do it, why you are the best at it etc etc, this is where you basically sell yourself to potential buyers/clients/followers.
Tip 4 - Once you have set up one or all of the above, make sure it is full of helpful information for the people who visit it, ie a real estate agent could have updates on current market trends, the best places to buy or sell, links to youtube video's they think would be helpful, any current bargains on the market etc etc. You will also want to include some original material that you write or produce yourself so you are seen as an expert in this field.
Tip 5 - Get social proof, this is one of the most powerful things you can do. Basically social proof means if a business had a million fans, more people are likely to become a fan as well because it has large social proof... Society proves it's good. Another great way to increase your social proof is by adding testimonials to your fan page, blog, business page, website etc. This shows people that you are legitimate and can deliver what you say you can, the more testimonials and social proof in general the better.
Tip 6 - Link them all together, what you want to do is create what I would call a "web of information" about you and your service. It should be easy for people to become your friend, find your fan page, click on the link to your website and then get linked back to your Facebook page etc etc, what ever your prospects are looking at should have a link to something else of yours. Use this blog as an example...
You are reading this blog now and to your right you will see a box with my Facebook fans in it, this is social proof as there are xxx amount of fans in that box, but it also gives you the option to become a fan here and now or you can check out my fan page by clicking the display pic and read my info there. On my fan page you can get linked to this blog again, my normal Facebook page, my other websites, my myspace account etc etc. On every social media site, blog or website I have you are able to be linked to something else of mine. This is the web, it can be a big and complex as you want it to be, but sometimes the KISS principal is best... Keep It Simple Stupid.
Tip 7 - Network with likeminded people and people that you would consider your "target market" By networking with other people in the same industry, you will gain valuable insights and pick up ideas you can use for your own business along the way, you may even meet a future business partner. By networking with your target market you should aim to build trust and relationships before you even mention your product or service, people hate being sold. Let them read your info and slowly explore your web. If they think you can help them in some way, they will ask. This give you the advantage as they are seeking you, you are not chasing customers or clients... YOU are the expert and they want YOUR help.
Using the real estate agent as an example again. A good way to network with these groups of people is to search for groups related to them on Facebook ie Real Estate investing, First Home Buyers, Property for Dummies, I love my mansion, etc. have a bit of a play and see what groups you can find. Then start adding people as friends, posting valuable info on the page walls and go from there.
Set yourself up as an expert and continually grow your network of likeminded people and prospects. If you do this, you will see the business start rolling in and your reputation as an expert go through the roof!
See you at the top!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
You can make Money or Make Excuses... not both.
There are two choices you can make in life...
You can choose to make excuses for why your haven't achieved what it is you have set out to do, blaming everyone and everything but yourself OR you can make money...
Simple. The people who keep selling themselves short and settling to accept any situation as a reason for not accomplishing what they have set out to do, will never achieve anything of importance. An unfavourable situation is not justification to give up on your goals and write them off for another day. Get over it and get on with it!
Nobody who has achieved great things did so without overcoming all sorts of challenges and speed bumps along the way. Most will actually say "working through the challenging situations and not accepting them as failure is the one of the keys to their success" Remember that you only have so many hours on this earth, each one is precious and should be treated with the upmost respect and gratitude. You never know when your time is going to be up, so choose to make the most of it. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but its true.
Remember that any time you spend justifying why you didn't accomplish something, is time you could have spent actually going about achieve that exact same thing. Don't accept failure as an option. This is easy because you can only be defeated when you accept that as your reality and refuse to keep pushing through.
So the ball is in your court, are you going to choose to give up at any sign of resistance? Make excuses and justify them to yourself as a valid reason for failing?
or
Are you going to step up to the plate, choose to be a winner and smash through every obstacle that is put in your way, because trust me, there will be plenty. I personally choose the later. I hope you do too.
So there you have it, the only two choices you need to make in life... To win or to justify failure to yourself by accepting your own excuses.
Make your choice...
See you at the top!
You can choose to make excuses for why your haven't achieved what it is you have set out to do, blaming everyone and everything but yourself OR you can make money...
Simple. The people who keep selling themselves short and settling to accept any situation as a reason for not accomplishing what they have set out to do, will never achieve anything of importance. An unfavourable situation is not justification to give up on your goals and write them off for another day. Get over it and get on with it!
Nobody who has achieved great things did so without overcoming all sorts of challenges and speed bumps along the way. Most will actually say "working through the challenging situations and not accepting them as failure is the one of the keys to their success" Remember that you only have so many hours on this earth, each one is precious and should be treated with the upmost respect and gratitude. You never know when your time is going to be up, so choose to make the most of it. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but its true.
Remember that any time you spend justifying why you didn't accomplish something, is time you could have spent actually going about achieve that exact same thing. Don't accept failure as an option. This is easy because you can only be defeated when you accept that as your reality and refuse to keep pushing through.
So the ball is in your court, are you going to choose to give up at any sign of resistance? Make excuses and justify them to yourself as a valid reason for failing?
or
Are you going to step up to the plate, choose to be a winner and smash through every obstacle that is put in your way, because trust me, there will be plenty. I personally choose the later. I hope you do too.
So there you have it, the only two choices you need to make in life... To win or to justify failure to yourself by accepting your own excuses.
Make your choice...
See you at the top!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on!
A very close friend of mine once told me that "when you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on" this saying has stuck with me ever since.
This simple yet powerful phrase is great ammunition to get you through those tough times when you think you have reached the "GAME OVER" point in your life. We all experience times in life when we are unsure how we are going to pay the next bill, make the next mortgage payment or buy food for the following week. When you get to this point... tie a knot and hang on tight.
Yes, things may get ugly, you may have people abuse you about a late payment or two, you may have your electricity cut off, you may receive some not so nice letters and emails or you may experience a vast array of other not so pleasant things. All you can to is keep on keeping on, no matter how hard the going may get. Just have faith that you will get through and life will deliver what you need eventually. If it seems like life is taking it's "sweet time" to jump in and save the day (trust me, that though has gone through my mind many times) "Come on life, I'm ready now, kinda need you to work your magic" this usually means there is a lesson to be learnt from your current situation and life is waiting for you to take the class. So make sure instead of breaking down and hating on the world and life that you keep an open mind and look for the lessons and opportunities that this not so pleasant situation may bring.
Always keep in mind that "you are where you are today because of what you have done leading up to this day" this can be a very hard thing to admit. You may find yourself instantly start blaming other people, situations, the world, your family, your job everything but yourself. Once you learn to take responsibility for your life, you are then able to control your life. Don't rely on anyone but yourself to be responsible for your success or otherwise.
Now that you can accept that the situation you may be in today, is a result of what you may have done in the past. You can find out what it was that maybe wasn't the smartest choice and avoid making that same mistake in the future. Remember the age old saying, "any man can make a mistake, but only a fool makes the same mistake twice". Choose to learn from your current situation and mistakes to avoid being in the same pain ever again in life. If you can do this, you are truly on your way to being your best.
So if it seems like you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot, have faith and hang on. Enjoy the ride, sometimes what you think is the worst period of your life is reflected on as one of your best in years to come.
See you at the top!
This simple yet powerful phrase is great ammunition to get you through those tough times when you think you have reached the "GAME OVER" point in your life. We all experience times in life when we are unsure how we are going to pay the next bill, make the next mortgage payment or buy food for the following week. When you get to this point... tie a knot and hang on tight.
Yes, things may get ugly, you may have people abuse you about a late payment or two, you may have your electricity cut off, you may receive some not so nice letters and emails or you may experience a vast array of other not so pleasant things. All you can to is keep on keeping on, no matter how hard the going may get. Just have faith that you will get through and life will deliver what you need eventually. If it seems like life is taking it's "sweet time" to jump in and save the day (trust me, that though has gone through my mind many times) "Come on life, I'm ready now, kinda need you to work your magic" this usually means there is a lesson to be learnt from your current situation and life is waiting for you to take the class. So make sure instead of breaking down and hating on the world and life that you keep an open mind and look for the lessons and opportunities that this not so pleasant situation may bring.
Always keep in mind that "you are where you are today because of what you have done leading up to this day" this can be a very hard thing to admit. You may find yourself instantly start blaming other people, situations, the world, your family, your job everything but yourself. Once you learn to take responsibility for your life, you are then able to control your life. Don't rely on anyone but yourself to be responsible for your success or otherwise.
Now that you can accept that the situation you may be in today, is a result of what you may have done in the past. You can find out what it was that maybe wasn't the smartest choice and avoid making that same mistake in the future. Remember the age old saying, "any man can make a mistake, but only a fool makes the same mistake twice". Choose to learn from your current situation and mistakes to avoid being in the same pain ever again in life. If you can do this, you are truly on your way to being your best.
So if it seems like you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot, have faith and hang on. Enjoy the ride, sometimes what you think is the worst period of your life is reflected on as one of your best in years to come.
See you at the top!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Life gives you exactly what you need, 100% of the time.
Yes it's true! Life does in fact give you exactly what you need exactly when you need it.
I know that it is hard to see the good in some things that happen, but usually down the track you can take a step back and see how that specific event had an impact in your life for the better. It just takes time to realise it. Life regularly delivers just what I need just when I need it, and yes sometimes that is a reality check or a kick in the backside; but without fail, whether I admit it at the time or not, I find the good in it and realise it was in fact, just what I needed.
Let me give you a personal example...
When I was 13 years old I lost my sister who was 12 to a brain tumour. It was completely unexpected and undetected until it was too late. I was obviously very upset for a long time and there was no way I could see any good in it, especially in the short term. We were always very close and what I went through losing her cannot be explained with words. A few months after it happened I was still upset and sour at the world/universe/karma/everything, it wasn't fair, why her, why us? It was then I figured that I had two choices, continue on a downward spiral and woe is me mentality or I could grow from it and become a better, stronger more driven person. I obviously chose that later.
I now have a completely different outlook on life as I respect how easily and quickly it can be taken away without notice. I dream big dreams, set big goals, go about my days with enthusiasm and gratitude. I don't sweat the small stuff and make as many friends as I can on my journey. I feel that I have two lives to live as my sisters was cut so short. The person I am proud to be today is a result of that unfortunate situation. I chose to find the good in it, you have that same choice in your life everyday, in every situation, good or bad.
A lot for people miss great opportunities to learn and grow in their lives. This is because opportunities have a very sly habit of sneaking into your life disguised as defeat or an undesirable situation. If you cannot take a step back from any "bad" situation and think "what is the opportunity in this situation" instead of "Woe is me, how unlucky am I to be in this situation" you will never as successful as you could be. Remember that successful people find the opportunity in every challenge and unsuccessful people find the challenge in every opportunity. Choose to look for the opportunities, they are everywhere.
This said, life doesn't just deliver opportunities in the form of bad situations. It also delivers obvious ones that are sometimes dropped right into your lap, the key is to be ready for them so you can act asap. In order to be ready for these "obvious" or otherwise opportunities, you have to be expecting them. This leads me to another key rule in life, it is that "you will never get what you want... you will get what you expect" If you expect bad things to happen, guess what... they will. But if you expect opportunities to continually be thrown your way, guess what... they will!
If you are in need of something, cash, a relationship, a change in situation, a big decision to be made, it will come just when you need it. Make sure you are expecting it to happen and surely enough, life will deliver. Remember that life works in funny ways, don't get angry if things don't turn out exactly how you wanted them to, usually it means life has bigger and better plans for you... so make sure you are ready for them.
Always look for the positive in any situation and expect the best out of life. If you do these two things you will absolutely change your life for the better.
See you at the top!
I know that it is hard to see the good in some things that happen, but usually down the track you can take a step back and see how that specific event had an impact in your life for the better. It just takes time to realise it. Life regularly delivers just what I need just when I need it, and yes sometimes that is a reality check or a kick in the backside; but without fail, whether I admit it at the time or not, I find the good in it and realise it was in fact, just what I needed.
Let me give you a personal example...
When I was 13 years old I lost my sister who was 12 to a brain tumour. It was completely unexpected and undetected until it was too late. I was obviously very upset for a long time and there was no way I could see any good in it, especially in the short term. We were always very close and what I went through losing her cannot be explained with words. A few months after it happened I was still upset and sour at the world/universe/karma/everything, it wasn't fair, why her, why us? It was then I figured that I had two choices, continue on a downward spiral and woe is me mentality or I could grow from it and become a better, stronger more driven person. I obviously chose that later.
I now have a completely different outlook on life as I respect how easily and quickly it can be taken away without notice. I dream big dreams, set big goals, go about my days with enthusiasm and gratitude. I don't sweat the small stuff and make as many friends as I can on my journey. I feel that I have two lives to live as my sisters was cut so short. The person I am proud to be today is a result of that unfortunate situation. I chose to find the good in it, you have that same choice in your life everyday, in every situation, good or bad.
A lot for people miss great opportunities to learn and grow in their lives. This is because opportunities have a very sly habit of sneaking into your life disguised as defeat or an undesirable situation. If you cannot take a step back from any "bad" situation and think "what is the opportunity in this situation" instead of "Woe is me, how unlucky am I to be in this situation" you will never as successful as you could be. Remember that successful people find the opportunity in every challenge and unsuccessful people find the challenge in every opportunity. Choose to look for the opportunities, they are everywhere.
This said, life doesn't just deliver opportunities in the form of bad situations. It also delivers obvious ones that are sometimes dropped right into your lap, the key is to be ready for them so you can act asap. In order to be ready for these "obvious" or otherwise opportunities, you have to be expecting them. This leads me to another key rule in life, it is that "you will never get what you want... you will get what you expect" If you expect bad things to happen, guess what... they will. But if you expect opportunities to continually be thrown your way, guess what... they will!
If you are in need of something, cash, a relationship, a change in situation, a big decision to be made, it will come just when you need it. Make sure you are expecting it to happen and surely enough, life will deliver. Remember that life works in funny ways, don't get angry if things don't turn out exactly how you wanted them to, usually it means life has bigger and better plans for you... so make sure you are ready for them.
Always look for the positive in any situation and expect the best out of life. If you do these two things you will absolutely change your life for the better.
See you at the top!
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