We’ve all heard the horror stories of difficult clients. Anyone offering client services has been there.
No company can function effectively when confronted with clients who operate from a place of fear — which is often at the root of most difficult clients you encounter. You can’t do your job well or be recognized for a job well done when your client contact is inadvertently — or deliberately — standing in your way. Read the rest of this entry »
In their book “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing,” Al Ries and Jack Trout talk about the “Law of the Category,” which is that “if you can’t be the first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in.” I’m coming to understand the importance of this concept, especially when thinking about individuality. Read the rest of this entry »
Social media is becoming a must-use tool for marketing businesses of all types and sizes. Next month, well-known social media marketing consultants Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo will be publishing their comprehensive guide to social media marketing, “Friends with Benefits.” The title, while sounding gimmicky, is actually a very apt one that summarizes neatly the world that awaits in social media for companies who use the medium properly.
The guidance offered in “Friends with Benefits” is clearly tailored towards large businesses. There are repeated references to structures such as your company’s legal department, “marketing VP”, company intranet, IT department, and communications department. Bootstrapping small business owners (who are most likely to need a “self-help” book like this) may feel a little left out of the practical aspects of the advice offered here, although most of the general concepts apply to all companies, no matter what the business size. Read the rest of this entry »
Aaron Brazell, aka @technosailor and founder and lead editor of Technosailor.com, when he spoke at Izeafest 2009, shared his thoughts on what makes someone an “influencer.” The difference between being a celebrity and an influencer, he said, is that, “Being a celebrity gets you attention now; being an influencer gets you attention over the long term.”
A few of the characteristics of an influencer, according to Brazell, are: Read the rest of this entry »
Losing a big client actually launched my freelance writing career, but not all stories end as well as mine did. Today, I try to make sure the income I receive is spread across more clients so I don’t get into that situation again. You can’t always help it when one big client starts to contribute a large chunk of your income — but what happens if you lose that client?
You can be prepared. This situation is one that we should all consider in our plans. Read the rest of this entry »
Just the sound of the word “publicity” can make some of us want to run for cover. It brings to mind uncomfortable and awkward times in the spotlight, and while many of us want our businesses to succeed, it may take a while to adjust to the idea of being center stage.
I recently spoke with Nancy Juetten of Main Street Media Savvy about how to overcome the fear of publicity. The great thing about the tips that she offered is that many of them are things you might already be doing to some extent, which makes the whole idea of publicity a little less daunting. By becoming comfortable with these tactics, you’ll start inching your way into the limelight, and you’ll gain more attention for your business in the process. Read the rest of this entry »
A brand doesn’t sell itself. Someone has to communicate its value to the world and reach its target market.
The science of marketing involves market research, segmenting the market and building and executing a marketing plan that fulfills business goals.
People in public relations (PR), on the other hand, work to get exposure for the brand, the organization and its people in the media. Although the lines blur between the two careers, they are distinct roles.
Is marketing or PR the web working career for you? Read the rest of this entry »
Using social media to promote yourself seems to be becoming more and more important for web worker, but figuring out the best was to do can be difficult. Chris Guillebeau and Gwen Bell have brought together a guide that demystifies the process: “
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
