Rembrandt’s Blog

Do you think of social media first when it comes to word-of-mouth-marketing?

Well, before you start tweeting, posting photos on Facebook and adding videos to YouTube, tell your story to the media.

After all, if your business is featured in a major news-story on radio, television, print, or online, you can build buzz while obtaining third-party credibility you simply can’t purchase.

With this in mind, here are a few activities to consider prior to posting your news via social media:

• Research specific media members.

Who will be interested in your story and reach your target market?

• Figure out a unique story angle for each press member.

Do you have a client “before-and-after” story to share?

How do your products and services relate to a current trend, holiday or industry event?

Think of a specific story idea for each media member on your list.

•  Pick up the phone.

Contact the media members on your list and pitch your story. You have nothing to lose and some free publicity to gain!

•  Write a press release.

Take your story idea and create a press release. Optimize it for the search engines with the appropriate keywords, or hire a freelance, SEO expert to do this for you.

Post your release on free, press-release sites, http://www.rembrandtwrites.com/FreePressReleasePostingSites.htm, and industry sites or use a press-release distribution service like PRWeb, www.prweb.com, or PR Newswire, www.prnewswire.com.

Also, post the release on your site, and give it a specific website address. And if you haven’t set up Google Analytics to monitor your site activity, you’ll want to do this right away at http://www.google.com/analytics/.

• Use social media.

Once you’ve pitched your story to the press and posted it online, then tell the world about your news using social media. You can provide a link to the specific website address you created for your press release and monitor the results.

Social media is a great way to build word-of-mouth, but don’t forget about public relations in the process. After all, with a simple call or press release, you may garner a feature story that catapults your business to the top of the news fast!

Do you need help with your SEO copywriting, public relations and social media activities? Please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help!

Did you make a New Year’s resolution this year? How’s it going? Well, if you’re having a tough time keeping your resolution, how about creating goals instead?

I know. I know. You’ve heard it all before.

Well, I once felt the same way. But actually writing down your goals can have a significant impact on your happiness and wealth. As soon as I started writing down my goals, things happened. I finished a book, met great people, brought in more clients… the list goes on.

After all, if you don’t know where you are going, how are you going to get there?

With this in mind, here’s a quick list to help you take action:

1. Write down three big things you want to accomplish this year.

Keep it simple. Do you want to make six figures? Do you want to spend more time with your family and friends? Do you want to pursue a new hobby?

Write down what you want to happen in 2010 now.

2. What do you need to accomplish these three things?

Once you know the top three things you want to accomplish next year, think about what it’s going to take to achieve them. Maybe you’ll need 10 new clients to increase your income? Maybe you’ll need to get some training and learn new skills? Maybe you’ll need to say “no” to more projects so you have more free time?

Go through each of your goals and write down what you think it’s going to take to achieve them.

3. Get organized.

At this point, you have a good idea of the activities necessary to reach your goals. Now, break down each activity into smaller steps so you can accomplish at least one step each day.

Next, get a big calendar and write down each of these daily activities. Suddenly, your goal looks doable. Ta Da! You have an action plan! And think how great it will feel when you check off each task at the end of the day.

By following this simple process, you’ll end up reaching your goal by the end of 2010. If not, at least you’ve started on the path to success and will be that much closer to making your dreams a reality!

Do you need help reaching your business goals with SEO copywriting and publicity? Please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help!

Over the holidays, I found myself having two, long layovers in Milwaukee’s airport and in need of a good meal. As I walked past several gates, I noticed a lot of people eating and drinking at an Italian restaurant/sports bar. Great! Finally, I’ll get to rest and stop my grumbling stomach.

Then, I opened the menu and was surprised to find some very strange items – at significantly high prices. They also offered their specialty -  pizza. But I just had that the night before so I ended up ordering a chicken and artichoke Panini – not the most filling meal, but I was not willing to pay $23.00 for a fish dinner in the airport terminal!

After leaving the restaurant, I noticed that there were two shops to walk up and buy snacks, pizza and yogurt. No wonder this sports bar/restaurant was busy and able to sell whatever they wanted at any price! It was the only game in town!

Unfortunately, on the way home, I had to stop at the same airport. But this time, I didn’t eat pizza knowing that would be my only choice at the airport. Well, needless to say, their “specialty” pizza was the worst I’ve ever had. It reminded me of cardboard with pieces of chewy rubber on it.

Well, this restaurant got my money, but I can tell you, MKE can do a lot more to build a better image for travelers. It’s a nice airport, but they really need another restaurant that better serves the needs of their hungry visitors. (If you have a restaurant that serves affordable, good-tasting meals for families, I suggest you approach the people at this airport and see if you can provide some competition.)

Pizza or Pizza?

Anyway, this got me thinking. What choices are you offering your customers?

If you provide several price-points for various services, you’ll be able to get new clients in the door (See Fred Gleeck’s books at http://www.fredgleeck.com/fred-gleeck-books.php for more information on this). Then, you can upsell them additional services according to their needs.

Now, it’s o.k. to offer high-end services, but be sure your customers are getting what they pay for and are happy with the results. Otherwise, you may have a blogger like me providing negative publicity. Or worse, your customers will end their contracts, ask for refunds and go to the competition!

Do you need help writing the copy on your Website to provide the right messaging and increase sales? If so, please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help! Thanks.