Rembrandt’s Blog

Ahhh. Summer. You sit back in your lawn chair with a cold beverage in one hand, and your favorite book in another.

Enticing barbeque aromas waft past your nose, and your stomach grumbles with anticipation.

You catch the sweet scent of roses in the garden and the fresh cut grass from next door.

But wait a minute… something is not right. There seem to be more flies gathering, and you just can’t seem to relax. What did you forget to do at work earlier?

Reluctantly, you pick up your Blackberry and start searching through your e-mails, your extensive, “To Do List” and the Internet.

And then, it hits you…. Now, something really stinks.

No, it’s not your barbeque overcooking on the open flame.

It’s not the kids playing a prank on you.

It’s not a skunk passing by.

No. It has been right under your nose all along, and you just realized what it is.

It’s your Web site!

Sure. You’ve got lots of cool graphics, and your logo shows up really well with a big picture of you in the “About” section.

But who cares… especially if no one can find you online!

Content is king, queen, and all the other subjects!

As Dan Kennedy, “The Millionaire Maker” and author of the “No B.S. Book” series just highlighted in our recent phone conversation (Yes, I’m name dropping to get my point across!), while it’s great to have a professional-looking Web site, what does your copy say?

Are you providing value to your target customers and new site visitors? Is it the right length?

Your site should:

• Let visitors know they are in the right place within seconds;
• Provide answers to their questions;
• Offer a solution, resources and current information;
• Capture e-mail addresses with a free report, newsletter, etc.; and
• Include easy, contact information among other things.

 And once all of this is in place, you really need to:

 Optimize your site for the search engines.

 If your site is not optimized for the search engines, you are missing out on a LOT of site traffic.

And the days of packing keywords into a site to get noticed by the search engines is over. Now, it’s more important than ever to provide valuable information that includes keywords, links, headers, sub-heads, and more.

You need copy that sells.

How to Get Rid of The Stench.

Well, now that you’ve figured out where the smell is coming from, how do you fix it? Well, you have two choices:

1. You can throw the whole thing out and start over, or
2. You can eliminate the smell with fresh, new SEO copy.

Either one of these solutions will work. And you can do it yourself. But unless you are trained to take care of it, the smell will just increase.

Current customers will leave, and new customers will stay so far away, they won’t even know what you have to offer … so with this in mind…

Use A Professional Exterminator!

I highly suggest you spend the money to hire a good, SEO copywriter and exterminate the cause of the odor as soon as possible!

Not only can good, SEO copywriters help you get noticed by the search engines and bring in new customers, but they can also offer new marketing ideas to keep customers engaged and coming back for more. These new activities may include social media, SEO press releases, e-mail auto-responders, newsletters, eReports, and more.

And the best part is that SEO copywriting can be monitored. You can see what’s working and change what’s not… immediately. This makes it very cost-effective, and you get the best results possible.

…so what are you waiting for? Take action!

After all, when your Web site provides valuable information and copy that sells, things will stop stinking. And all you’ll notice is the sweet smell of success!

Now, if you have questions about SEO copywriting, or need help with your copy, please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. Plus, I’ve started a new program to help entrepreneurs increase sales and awareness for less than a cup of coffee each month!

Check it out at www.rembrandtwrites.com/newsletter and let me know what you think. Thanks!

You smell the freshly cut grass and the tangy barbeque sizzling on the grill. You sip a nice, cool beverage by the pool and start to fall asleep.

Ah…summer. It’s time for rest, relaxation and fun. But wait a minute…Wake up!

It’s also a time to be aware of your business. Why?

Well, while you’re napping, your competitors may be doing something you’re not…something that can significantly squash your future sales… and even put you out of business.

What is this secret weapon?

Planning future promotions.

That’s right. Even though the sun is blazing (and you’d rather not work), it’s time to think about snowflakes and holiday sales. Before you know it, the holiday season will be here, and if you don’t act now, you will miss out on some great publicity and marketing opportunities… so what’s a business owner to do?

Here are three, quick tips to fight the holiday battle now:

1.      Figure out what your target market will want.

Start thinking about how you can fulfill the needs of your customers in the months ahead and get them to buy your products and services.

Will an updated product, discount coupon, layaway process, gift-with-purchase, or other special discount bring in more sales? What do you want to accomplish this holiday season?

Be creative and think of ways you can promote your unique benefits while exceeding customer expectations.

And even if you can’t afford a big sale, you can always provide extra customer-service, work with a charity on a special, holiday event, have a theme day, hold a contest, or create other, free activities that will bring customers in your door.

2.      Make plans now.

Got your big, promotional ideas for the holidays? Great!

Write down all of the activities, responsibilities, budgets, deadline dates, and specifics necessary for you to make your plans a reality. And don’t forget to include all of the marketing and public-relations tactics that go with each activity.

This way, you’ll know what needs to be done when, and who is responsible for accomplishing each task. Not only will this help you meet your goals, but it will help you avoid last-minute surprises and missed deadlines.

3.      Start promoting.

Once you have your plan in place, start your promotion activities. After all, many media venues are already working on their holiday issues, and you don’t want to miss out on interviews, articles and advertising placements.

Be sure to get your Web site ready too. You’ll probably need new, holiday copy for search engine optimization, landing pages, newsletters, brochures, blogs, social media, and other, promotional materials.

Got it all together?

Fantastic! Now, you can go back to the hammock and that tall glass of lemonade. You are in control and ready to take on the competition in the cooler months ahead… And if not, give me a call, and I’ll help you get it done!

Need help increasing sales with good copy and publicity? Please write to me here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. And please keep a look out for my brand new book, “Simple Publicity,” coming soon!

As a small business owner, getting the media attention you deserve is not as difficult as it may seem. In fact, it’s just a matter of picking up the phone and being a good sales person!

Here are five tips to help you get started.

1.      Research.Before you contact reporters, be sure you know what they write about and their particular styles.

Read their articles, watch their television programs or listen to them on the radio. And you should be able to find their direct contact information with a simple online search via Google or Yahoo! If not, check the media venue’s website for additional information.

2.      Prepare Your Pitch.

Do you know what you are going to say when you get in touch with the news media?

Prepare your talking points in advance. Create a unique and interesting story angle and be sure you can mention the important facts in one sentence.

You can always elaborate if the reporter seems interested. And if you’re new at this, practice pitching your story with a friend or co-worker before moving forward.

3.      Pick Up the Phone.

When you have your story-pitch ready to go, contact the appropriate beat reporter directly. Introduce yourself and give the name of your organization. Tell the reporter you have an interesting news story if he or she has a couple of minutes.

At this point, the reporter will give you a few minutes of time or tell you to call back, e-mail the information, or send a fax.

If requested, give your pitch as succinctly as possible, and try to sell the story to the reporter. Why will he or she care what you have to say?

If the reporter shows an interest, be sure to provide the appropriate information and set an interview time as soon as possible.

It’s also wise to have a “back-up” story angle to pitch if the reporter is not interested in your first news item.

4.      Diary the Information

Once you are finished with your call, be sure to make a note of your conversation in your own media database. Keep track of the media venue, reporter, date, and any other key notes.

If the reporter was not interested in your story, write down why and when you should follow-up.

By keeping notes of your media discussions, you’ll be able to give better pitches in the future and create great press relationships.

5.      Follow Up!Many times, the reporters you contact will not have time to hear your story because they are on deadline. Do not get discouraged or take this as a permanent rejection.

Listen carefully to any directions the reporters give you and follow up accordingly. If you keep in contact with media members on a regular basis, eventually your patience will be rewarded.

As you pitch, know that you are giving reporters news about your business, experience and expertise. They may be interested in this information at the moment you call or remember you for a future assignment. It’s up to you to make a good impression.

These are just a few quick tips to help you move forward with your publicity efforts. For more information on how to boost sales, awareness and credibility with SEO copywriting and PR, check out www.rembrandtwrites.com. Also, look for my new book, “Simple Publicity,” coming soon!