Rembrandt’s Blog

With all of the ugly economic-news, the recent earthquakes and the snow and rain, it can be easy to feel sad. But the good news is… the economy can get better, you can prepare for natural disasters, and spring is just days away… And best of all, you are in charge of your own feelings.

After all, when was the last time you took control of your situation? Have you been moping around with spring fever? Are you unable to secure new customers or increase sales at your business?

Well, it’s time to regain your power!

With three little steps, you can start to turn things around with every aspect of your life. Here are my suggestions:

1. Review.

First, take a look at what’s going on in your life and ask yourself some questions:

•  Why are you tired all the time?
• Why can’t you seem to get anything done?
• Why isn’t your business growing?
• Why is the “grass greener” everywhere else?

You get the idea. Try to pinpoint why you are feeling sad or unmotivated so you can make positive changes.

2. Make a Plan.

Once you know what your main pain-points are, it’s time to figure out what you’re going to do about it. After all, you are in charge of your own feelings and success so take a few minutes and decide what you can do to fix things in your life.

• Maybe you need to get up earlier to get some exercise or finish a project?
• Are you eating unhealthy snacks that are zapping your energy?
• Do you need to update your products, services or Web site to bring in more sales and traffic?
• Are you spending too much money without realizing it?
• Is it time to get your annual check-up?
• How about hiring some outside experts help you with certain tasks?

Review your responses and decide what you can do to change things that aren’t working for you. Then, add your action steps to a calendar with due dates for each activity. Write down what you want to accomplish and when.

If you need help, find a friend, family member or co-worker for support. You may even want to hire a life coach or trainer to help keep you motivated and stick to your schedule.

3. Take Action.

Now that you have your list of goals, it’s up to you to make change happen.

No one is going to do it for you.

Things will just stay the same unless you take action. And if you are having trouble making changes, start small. Then with each success, give yourself a small reward. Maybe it’s watching your favorite television show, reading a book, eating a piece of candy, taking a little extra “me” time…

The point is that if you want to be happier and more successful, it’s up to you… so if you are waiting for things to get better, you may be waiting a long time.

And I don’t know about you, but things always seem to be better when you’re working to achieve something. Plus, think how great you’ll feel when you start accomplishing your goals – earning more money, losing weight, bringing in new customers – and feeling like you can take on the world!

Now that’s power. Can’t you just taste it?

We can all use some help and a little “pick-me-up” message once in awhile. If you are overwhelmed and need assistance bringing in new customers with public relations, SEO copywriting and marketing activities, please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help!

We are starting 2010 in a challenging, economic environment. But it’s not the time to give up and stop pursuing your career goals and dream lifestyle. Instead, use this negativity as a driving force to promote yourself and make things better for you and your family in the future.

“Companies always need people who know how to sell their products,” says Katie Yeakle, executive director of American Writers & Artists, Inc., www.awaionline.com, a company that helps people develop skills to acquire financial security, independence and freedom. “Use this down time to research in-demand careers like copywriting, graphic design, SEO writing, and more. Then, equip yourself with the critical skills and connections necessary to land clients, start working professionally and earn money fast.”

If you want a better career, income and lifestyle, here are five simple things you can do now to start making change happen:

1. Plan.

If you’ve always dreamed about owning your own business and escaping the “8 to 5 rat race,” what are you waiting for? Take just a few minutes to think about where you are now and what you’d really like to be doing. 

Decide your dream lifestyle. Write down your perfect schedule, income goals and passions. Then, figure out what skills and resources you need to take to make your goals happen. Try not to let naysayers get in your way and ruin your aspirations.

2. Get Help.

“When you’re changing your career or starting a new business, it’s a good idea to have support from people who work with or for you, as well as support from family and friends, because there are going to be unexpected problems that will be discouraging,” says Jill Exler, founder of jexbo, www.jexbo.com. 

“Uninvolved support (spouse or child for example) can remind you of other important things in your life. Co-workers can remind you of things that are going right and may also be able to help you work through the problems.”

You will have a much easier time making your dreams a reality if you get support from positive family members and friends. Plus, there are numerous organizations and businesses available to guide you through the career-change process such as:

www.score.org
www.sba.gov
www.nawbo.org
www.startupnation.com
www.inc.com
www.entrepreneur.com
www.awaionline.com

And the best part is that these resources offer free information. If you are willing to put in the time and effort to move forward, you will find the help you need.

3. Make a Timeline.

Now that you know what you need to do to make a career change, create a schedule. Write down the tasks necessary to start working towards your new goals.

“Timelines are essential when pursuing new career or business goals because they allow you to plan for both short-term opportunities and a long-term vision,” says Jessica Cooper, a busy marketing manager at PrintingForLess.com, www.printingforless.com. “A timeline gives you the ability to break your overall plan into smaller chunks of activities with corresponding deadlines. This will keep you motivated by providing a daily regimen and a sense of accomplishment when you cross something off your list.”

Figure out when you have time available, and then write down specific activities to accomplish on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis.

Set deadlines for yourself. And think of all the benefits you’ll receive by completing each task and moving that much closer to your dream lifestyle. Perhaps it will help you place a photo of your family, your dream house or an exotic, vacation destination near your workspace to help motivate you?

After all, if you set deadlines for yourself to reach various milestones, you’ll be more likely to enjoy your new life faster. And even if you don’t have a lot of time to work on your new career goals, try to do one thing each day. It will give you a small sense of accomplishment.

“Be ambitious in your scheduling, but don’t be unrealistic,” says Cooper. “By giving yourself enough time to accomplish each activity, you will more apt to stick to your timeline and eventually reach your long-term goals.”

4. Start Part-Time.

With all of this in mind, it’s important to remember that you can start your new career while working full-time. There is no need to quit your job until you have your new career well underway.

Not only does this take a lot of risk out of the equation, but it gives you time to build your clientele and confidence prior to making the big, full-time leap.

“While you are working full-time, establish a sound financial plan and save money,” says Yeakle. “Before quitting your job, you may need to save six months’ worth of living expenses or wait for final approval on a business loan. And take advantage of your company’s health insurance too. It’s a good idea to schedule routine physical, dental, or eye exams while you are still covered.”

5. Attract New Clients.

Once you have your new career ready to go, there are several inexpensive ways to promote yourself and attract new clients.

• Get a domain name and build a website.
Conduct some research, and use an online Web service to help you create an effective site that reflects your business benefits and budget. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a professional appearance.

For help:
Check the sites listed above and look at www.godaddy.com, http://www.cheapdomains.com/, and other, inexpensive Web services.

• Optimize your website for the search engines.
You don’t need technical training to make your site search-engine friendly. Simply provide valuable content and add appropriate keywords.

For more information:
Check http://www.interspire.com/content/articles/13/1/Google-SEO-Basics-for-Beginners, http://www.mediacollege.com/internet/search-engines/seo/basics.html, http://www.searchenginewriting.com/seo-resources.shtml, and other sites containing the latest SEO information.

• Send out a press release.
When your website is in place, and you are ready to announce your business, create a press release and send it to media members who follow your target audience.

For distribution help:
Visit www.prweb.com, www.prnewswire.com and www.businesswire.com. Also check the list of free/low cost distribution sites at http://rembrandtblog.com/2008/04/18/40-no-charge-sites-for-your-press-release/.
 
• Contact potential new customers directly.
Tell everyone about your new business. Reach out to past co-workers, bosses and others you’ve worked with in the past. Write personal letters or visit potential customers directly.

By catering your sales pitches directly to the clients you’d most like to deal with, you will have much better luck getting through and bringing in prime customers.

No Excuses!
Things could be better right now, but it’s not the time to sit around and complain – especially since it’s a brand, new year. Instead, try to be positive and to take action.

After all, life flies by fast. Do you really want to spend time dealing with your boss, long commute and deadline stressors any longer than necessary? Start promoting yourself now and see what happens!

If you need help with your marketing and SEO copywriting strategy, please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help!

(This blog article appeared on www.pinkmagazine.com)

There are a lot of performing arts shows out there today (“Fame,” “Glee,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing with the Stars,” etc.), and I love watching the good dancers and singers.

But it made me think about public relations and SEO copywriting. For example, you know how some of the performers warm up singing, “Mi, Mi, Mi…?” Well, this could be the theme song for many of the Web sites out there today!

It’s About the Customer

As an entrepreneur excited about getting the word out about your business, it can be easy to fall into the trap of talking about all of the unique features of your products and services.

You post your new Web site and wait for sales to grow. But in the midst of your excitement, you may have forgotten to answer one very important question…

What’s in it for your customers?

To avoid this mistake, try to keep these things in mind when preparing or reviewing your Web site:

• Is your home page all about you?

When new visitors arrive at your site, are they greeted with a bunch of sentences that start with “We”?

“We have great services,” “We are well known,” “We are a leader in the industry,” Blah, Blah, Blah.

If this sounds familiar, please update your Web site copy so you focus on the customers. Try to help them solve their problems.

• Do you let visitors know they are in the right place?

When first-time visitors arrive at your Home page, they want to know that you can help them and they are in the right place. They also want to find answers fast.
 
To test your site, have some potential customers, friends, family, associates, or other outsiders review your site. Do they know “what’s in it for them” immediately? Can they find what they need quickly and easily? If not, your site needs updating.

• Is your site user friendly?

Is your home page simple, or do visitors see graphics, ads, videos, links, call-out boxes, and more when they first arrive on your site? While all of this can be high tech and entertaining, it can also distract customers.

Instead of trying to have a “cool” site packed with the latest technology, give customers what they want. Offer short, easy-to-read paragraphs, and stick to one basic message.

Figure out the one action you want site visitors to take on each page of your site, and then make it easy for them to take that action. Whether you want them to sign up for your newsletter, get a free report, call your sales rep, or something else, keep it simple.
 
Improve Your Site With A Few Quick Changes

These are just a few thoughts on how to improve your Web site and customer experience. As a small business owner, it can be easy to concentrate on your business features and the top items you want to sell. But check your site on a regular basis to make sure your customers’ needs are a priority. Keep it simple and user friendly, and you’ll see better results.

And if you just don’t have time to review and update your Web site, you can save a lot of headaches and money by hiring a professional, SEO copywriter. It’s money well spent. You’ll see results, and best of all, you can focus on your core business responsibilities.
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Do you have questions about SEO copywriting and boosting sales on your Web site? Please send me a note below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’d love to hear from you!