12 Productivity Boosters

Looking to wring more productivity out of your day?

Start by establishing your quitting time, writes Amber Singleton Riviere -- and stick with it. Routines at bedtime and first thing in the morning can help, along with jumping into your to-do list before checking your e-mail, she suggests.

Click the hyperlink above to read the entire article.



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5 Essentials for Successful Microtargeting

In this age of information overload, crafting a message that cuts through the clutter, resonates with the recipient, and lands in the right inbox is absolutely critical in today's high-stakes business-to-business marketing game, that according to Chris Golec, CEO of Demandbase.

"With budgets stretched to the limit, smart companies realize the best way to improve marketing ROI is to increase campaign relevance -- and sending targeted messages to generalized groups just isn't enough" says Golec, who offers five essential components to consider.

Among the tips... focus on relevance and know your markets. Read the complete article for more details.

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10 Ways To Get Others To Send You Traffic‏

Internet marketing expert Jimmy Brown has a very good article on his blog on how to get traffic to your site... from others!

According to Brown, if you’re trying to build a steady stream of traffic on your own, "you’re in for an uphill climb. You’ll need to spend a lot of time (such as on tasks like search engine optimization), a lot of money (such as on pay per click marketing) – or both."

"Fortunately, there’s an easier way to get loads of traffic very quickly – and for free. All you have to do is leverage other people’s traffic and resources."

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7 Habits of Less Successful Salespeople

What can you learn from others? Sometimes it's what to avoid doing, especially if you're making one of these seven sales mistakes, which Maura Schreier-Fleming, author of "Real-World Selling for Out-of-this-World Results" says could be costing you business.

One of the items tops on the list is talking too much. Schreier-Fleming says "the best sellers are great listeners and they use silence well. Silence is really golden in selling."

Read the complete article for all 7 sales mistakes.




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Who Says You Can't Make Media with Social Media!

Here's an interesting article -- and a great business use of social media. Many of us perhaps think that use of Twitter or blogs is just something for teenagers and can't possible pay the bills. But here's a great story about a musician from Sweden who's never had an online business before, gave it a try (just this past holiday between Christmas and New Year's) and is already making money and getting great publicity.

Read all about Love Jingles and this interesting business concept.

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Pew Reports Blogging On The Rise Among Older Adults

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, since 2006, blogging has dropped among teens and young adults while simultaneously rising among older adults. As the tools and technology embedded in social networking sites change, and use of the sites continues to grow, youth may be exchanging ‘macro-blogging’ for microblogging with status updates.

According to the Pew research, 14 percent of online teens now say they blog, down from 28 percent of teen Internet users in 2006. And this decline is also reflected in the lower incidence of teen commenting on blogs within social networking Web sites; 52 percent of teen social network users report commenting on friends’ blogs, down from the 76 percent who did so in 2006.

Read the complete report about social media and young adults, then apply that knowledge to growing your business and figuring out how to capitalize on the increase in blogging among your customer base.




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How to Avoid the 3 Top SEO Time Wasters

Here's a good article from Web Marketing Today on search engine optimization.

"There are lots of ways to waste your time in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), according to SEO expert Wil Reynolds. He explains why he avoids (1) reading SEO rants, (2) following the "new big thing," and (3) seductive tools such as PageRank, Digg, and Alexa. Rather he points to important areas to focus on -- local search and product search -- with helpful resources on each."

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Get New Business from Old Clients

Here's another good article from Dr. Nunley.

Don't focus all your efforts on getting new clients. A profitable source of income can be getting new assignments from clients you already have.

One way to get your clients to give more business to you is to make your services available to other people in their company. You will have an advantage because the client is already satisfied with your work.

At the beginning, it is important to concentrate on what the client hired you to do. Do your best on the project and amaze them with your ability. Then, you can bring up the subject of helping them in other areas and talk about your experience. The client may hire you in another area of your expertise.

You don't want to pressure clients about giving you other types of assignments. A good way to let clients know what you can do without bothering them is to send samples or photos of jobs completed for other clients. Attach a short note to the cover that says hi or gives a description of the project.

See Kevin's affordable promotion packages and business writing deals at http://DrNunley.com. From ezine advertising, to a press release, to web copy that sells, get what you need fast.

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To Tweet or Not to Tweet... That is the Question

According to Mary Petto, who's new blog is SMAC - Social Marketing and Communications - the answer is yes. And Petto offers five reasons your business needs Twitter.

1. Twitter is today’s information superhighway for your industry.
2. You can keep an eye on your competition.
3. When you ask your customers to follow you on Twitter, you’re inviting them to cultivate their relationship with you.
4. Twitter is word-of-mouth promotion x 100.
5. If your business isn’t on Twitter, you’ll soon be scrambling to prove you’re here.

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Improving Your Phone Personality

by Kevin Nunley

When it comes to marketing or business phone calls, many of us assume a schizophrenic personality.

In a face to face conversation, you may be energetic and charismatic, but when you get on the phone, you could morph into monotone man, barely audible boy or even overly giddy girl.

If you do a lot of calling, you are going to have to prevent the transformation of your phone personality.

Try role-playing on the phone with a friend. You play the customer and your friend plays you. Then switch places and try again.

Role-playing gives you insight into how to sound when offering your message.

Don't let your alternate phone personality stand between you and a sale. Keep practicing until you get it just right.

See Kevin's affordable promotion packages and business writing deals at http://drnunley.com/. From ezine advertising, to a press release, to web copy that sells, get what you need fast.

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10 Ways to Improve Your E-mail Copy

There are specific tips you can follow to increase the chances that your e-mail is read and creates the results you re after. Follow these 10 ways to improve your e-mail copy to get the best possible response for you next mailing.

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What's in a Name?

Marcia Yudkin writes that a company with a bad or mediocre name can reach success. However, she offers 10 reasons why coming up with a snappy, interesting and memorable name is worth the business owner's or organization's time and energy. Among the reasons:

• A distinctive name increases repeat business.
• A hastily chosen name can lead to legal troubles or bad PR.
• The name affects how people who work for the business feel about it.

Read the entire article and learn more about the importance of naming your business.

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9 Things Highly Successful Business Owners Do

Many business owners are just barely keeping their heads above water right now. Yet, in the midst of this struggling economy, there are some entrepreneurs who are actually thriving. Find out what it is that they are
doing differently to help them succeed in this article by Stacy Karacostas, author of "Putting Your Business on the Road to Success" and "The Small Business Website Bible."

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Successful Service Selling

In order to successfully sell your product or service, your goal should be to win clients, not assignments. Your income will grow larger if you have regular clients who keep coming back.

Go out of your way to please your clients and do a good job for them. No matter how busy or successful you are, it is important to come across as someone who is helpful, not someone who is "snobby."

There have been more than a few cases where we had to bend over backward for a somewhat difficult client. Later the customer went on to recommend us to many others, obviously impressed that we made the effort.

Build personal relationships with as many people as you can. Even people that you might consider unimportant could someday have a major say over whether you are hired. Try to participate in client activities. Make sure that you say hello to your clients at conferences and other events in your industry.

Remember, clients have the power. Never be rude or lose your temper. Always try to be patient, corteous, and friendly. Clients can choose not to continiue working with you at any time, for any reason, or sometimes for no reason at all.

Kevin Nunley has been the top writer of sales letters, web site copy, press releases, and ads since 1996. His talent and experience gets YOU results! Order his affordable writing and promotion deals at http://drnunley.com/

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Six Trust-Boosters that Increase Web Site Conversions

Once you've finally gotten a visitor to your site through SEO, PPC, or social media, you have to keep them from clicking their back button and leaving. And you've only got about three seconds to convince them that your Web site is the one that can solve their problem.

Here are six things you can do to prove to your visitors that they can trust your site from Chris Birk, a former newspaper and magazine writer who now works for Missouri-based Plus1 Marketing, an Inc. 500 online marketing firm.

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Entrepreneurs are Leaders, and Leaders are Communicators

From Zig Ziglar's weekly newsletter comes a good, short article on leadership communication.

Zig writes, that "Communication is not necessarily an easy skill to learn, but it really begins with seriously listening to what the other person says. By listening with respect you will learn things that can make a difference. Consistency will be the result and consistent performance really is the key to excellence. Buy into and practice these concepts and I really will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!"

Read the "Leaders Are Communicators" article by Zig Ziglar.

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With Today's Economy, How Do You Sell When No One is Buying?

That's a good question. And Pierre DeBois, founder of a consultancy that provides strategic analysis to small and medium sized businesses, takes a look at that question with a review of the book, "How to Sell When Nobody's Buying" by Dave Lakhani.

According to the review, "the book simply provides good examples for the reader to use. And the examples rapidly come, one after the well-organized other."

DeBois says the book is "a useful resource for any business seeking better selling practices. Small business owners who love their product or service offering but know nothing about sales could really benefit the most from Lakhani’s examples, and will find the book a satisfying start to understanding sales techniques."

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Use WordPress to Teach an Online Course

Many entrepreneurs are in business because they have a passion for their niche, and they have something they can offer (or teach) to their community or business sector. And hopefully, every entrepreneur understands the value of being online with his or her own Web site.

Today, many individuals and businesses that are online use WordPress to maintain their Web site or blog. But did you know that if you have content you would like to teach, but don't own your own server or wish to subscribe to a Web hosting service, that there is a simple way to do it using a free blog space at WordPress?

Find out how in this article, "How to Teach an Online Course Using WordPress."

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