ISSN 1939-2834
Vol. 1, No. 31 | November 5, 2007

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In This Issue:

• From the Editor
• MARKETING & NETWORKING: Set It and Forget It
• Next Free Teleseminar on November 15, 2007
• Find a Qualified Virtual Assistant Today

From the Editor

Marketing is never done, but it doesn't have to be a constant dreary chore. There are ways to automate much of your marketing so that it's still working long after you've signed off your computer for the day. Yours truly is here this week with a few pointers. :)

To your success!

Danielle Keister
Founder & CVO
Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce

Set It and Forget It

As you have probably realized as a business owner, you aren't just in business to do whatever it is you do; you are also in the business of marketing. The job of marketing is never done; it's not something you mark off your business to-do checklist and never think about again. Marketing is a consistent, ongoing task in your business, even when your practice is full or you've got products flying off the shelves.

Does that sound daunting? It doesn't have to be. There are lulls in every business, which is why it's important to maintain a marketing presence. But by putting advance thought and effort into some of the more automated marketing methods and platforms upfront, you can get more punch for your effort.

1. Create a Website that Actually "Works." Your website is informing your audience 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year. But your website can act as much more than simply a brochure of your products and services. Besides talking (marketing) to your customers, you can use it to disseminate downloadable reports, e-books and white papers (viral marketing). An FAQ page creates not only useful search enginge marketing content, but also further informs your prospective clients (more marketing). Utilizing autoresponder technology, you can capture list-building data from your visitors so you can keep the marketing conversation going through email and other campaigns (yet more marketing). Using those same autoresponder services, you can preload message sequences so that new subscribers will receive them automatically.
   
   
2. Triple-Threat Articles. Articles offer a triple return on your marketing efforts because not only do they increase awareness while demonstrating your knowledge and expertise to your market, but they can also be submitted to online article directories and appear in print publications. Once they are "out there," articles continue to work their marketing muscle for you over and over while increasing your SEO. Plan to write at least two or three great articles each year.
   
   
3. Active Mingling. Once you've invested some time, thought and effort into more static, but automatic, marketing avenues, your time will be freed up for one of the most effective (and fun) marketing activities you can engage in – networking. What is networking? Networking can be attending in-person events. It can also be participating in online business forums and email listservs. The key here is that you don't just show up – you have to put yourself out there. You have to participate.
   
   Now before you let that scare you, I don't mean that you need to throw yourself into center ring, but it does mean you need to talk to people. Don't feel like you have to give everyone you talk with a sales spiel or your elevator dance. Rather, simply engage those folks you meet in friendly conversations as one human being to another. Seek out someone who looks or sounds interesting and see if you can make a new friend. You don't even have to talk about business. But make no mistake – those friendly conversations turn into very real, very powerful referral marketing connections.
   
   Those folks who get to know you and like you are going to remember you the next time they or one of their friends or associates needs what you offer. Just a bit of active mingling can connect you with referral partners and create hands-free marketing that will continue to work for you long after you've signed off your computer for the day.

RESOURCE: Aweber is one of the most fantastic, versatile autoresponder services out there on the market. You can use it for any number of marketing activities including capturing list-building information from your market, email marketing campaigns, and newsletter distribution.

About the Author: As principal of The Relief Virtual Assistance, Danielle Keister has been providing expert administrative support to the professional community since 1997. Working with solo professionals in the legal, consulting and public relations fields, she helps clients gain time, increase efficiency and make more money by taking on their administrative burdens and helping instill strong administrative foundations in their businesses. Visit her website at http://www.TheRelief.com to sign up for her complimentary 10-week e-course, "Ramp Up Your Billable Hours: 10 Easy Fixes You Can Make Right Now!"

FREE Teleseminar on November 15, 2007: Breaking Out of the Employee Mindset

Break out of your employee mindset and increase your business success rate immediately! Join us this Thursday, November 15 with Suzanne Mulvehill, executive director of the Emotional Endurance® Institute and author of "Employee to Entrepreneur: A Mind, Body and Spirit Transition." During this teleseminar, Suzanne will help you learn the secrets to change your employee thoughts to entrepreneurial thoughts, get strategies for having your thoughts work for, rather than against, you, and understand the 7 employee mindset shifts that must take place in order to embrace entrepreneurial success.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY: Go here to register >>

Find a Qualified Virtual Assistant Today!

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