The Ultimate Content Marketing Strategy for 2020

When you want to learn a skill it is always good to listen to those who have already had success there.

Content marketing is no exception. Here Brian Dean gives the same step-by-step process he used to get 2M+ visitors to his site last year.

The Smarter Ways to Use Urgency Online

Urgency (and indeed scarcity) is a key marketing concept but only if used properly (and certainly not deceptively)
This great article by William T Batten looks at how urgency is well used


When you sell a high-end product - I'm thinking a luxury car or diamond-studded watch here - there's a natural element of scarcity.

Which is great, because Scarcity is one of Cialdini's principles of influence.

When you walk into a supermarket, you expect the cereal aisle to overflow with choices.

With anything that's less cheap and interchangeable, you don't.

Apparently, 800,000 new watches from one high-end brand spring, tick and wind their way into existence every year. If you saw all of them on the shelves of a store, they'd seem a whole lot less valuable - even at the same price.

This is hardly revolutionary. I doubt you're impressed by me telling you that as supply dwindles, costs rise.

But this created a real problem in the early days of the internet.

If you sold physical books, fine.

But what if you sold eBooks, audio programs or online courses?

The cost of duplicating bytes is essentially zero, so there's no scarcity there.

There's no "act now - supplies are limited!" when it comes to data.

So the marketers had to create the same sense of scarcity and urgency on something infinite. Luckily for them, they already had everything they needed.

The Basic (but Effective) Scarcity Tactic

It wasn't hard to find the solution.

After all, who in the marketing world hasn't heard of the 'limited time offer'?

With physical products, there's always a vague sense of urgency. If they run out of stock, you might have to wait for them to get more... assuming they ever do. With data, they never run out.

Sure, the servers might go down and never come back up.

But that's uncommon, especially today.

So even though quantity is unlimited, you can still restrict time.

You've seen it before, I'm sure. Order this eBook before the deadline and you get a free report.

Or whatever the offer is.

It creates urgency, because now time - not supply - is scarce.

Some folks will get resentful. After all, it wouldn't cost you anything to leave the bonus up there forever.

The way I see it, you're doing them a favour. If your offer helps them - and I really hope it does, because most of my advice backfires for snake oil - then you're gently pushing them to get it now.

And the sooner they start, the sooner their life improves.

Besides, most folks accept this. Even if they didn't like it before, it's been a staple of internet commerce for so long that everyone's used to it.

So like I say, it works.

And the better the bonus, the better it works. I've happily paid for products I'll never use just to get the bonuses, so that's a handy rule of thumb - make them worth the price, if not more.

But, ultimately, that approach is fake scarcity.

It's fake because you're cutting off access to a digital resource, which costs you nothing to host.

That doesn't mean it's bad, ineffective or even dishonest.

It just means when you use real, genuine scarcity, it works even better.

Create Digital Scarcity by Charging More Often

You can create a sense of scarcity around something by raising the price.

The more it costs, the fewer folks have (or can get) it.

But note I didn't say 'charging more'.

I said charging more often.

Now, this might not work for your offer or your market.

And even if it does, it'll require a lot more work.

The benefits?

Built-in scarcity, a reliable income stream and more value for your customers.

What you do is you take your offer - something they pay for once - and turn it into a subscription - something they pay for again and again.

Like I say, this doesn't work for everything or everyone. It requires a significant depth of material to create, plus it's ongoing work for you.

If your market has a burning problem, they want the fix now. If it works, they don't need any more. If not, they won't have the patience to stick around.

But if you have something that builds and builds and builds...

(Training is a good example for this - each lesson adds something for them.)

... then you can turn it from a book to a magazine.

• A book you buy once.
• A magazine you buy every month (or so).
• A book is the author talking to the readers.
• A magazine lets the readers write in, creating a dialogue.
• A book puts money in your pocket once per customer.
• A magazine has them coming back as long as you're adding value.

And the best part?

If someone is a subscriber, they receive the next instalment of your product. If not, they don't.

So while they could wait until next month to buy...

They get more by buying now.

Urgency, right at the heart of it.

Urgency in a Service

What if you offer a service?

If your service scales, you could still have a subscription. For example, hypnosis scales if you know how to hypnotise a group of people online.

But maybe the subscription idea doesn't work for you.

You can still create urgency easily enough with your services.

How?

By reducing the number of time slots in your schedule.

We've already established time can be a scarcity. And if we're talking about your time, it definitely is. I know there's plenty you could do at any moment.

By seeing fewer clients in a week, it might seem like you're reducing your income. And it might, at least in the short term. But, if you understand your market, then it more than makes up for it:

It creates real scarcity, which increases your perceived value. An amateur is willing to work with anyone at any time. A professional is willing and able to set their hours.

It makes some of the clients work for it. If they're eager to see you and they have their choice of days, that's easy for them. If you'll only see them on Thursdays, then they might have to skip the occasional golf game to see you. That minor inconvenience makes them more invested in you and your process.

It lets you raise your prices. The demand for your time is high and the supply has dropped, so it's only fair.

Now, you might be nervous about seeing fewer clients. If one cancels per week, that's a higher chunk out of your income than before. But once the supply of time slots fills up, you can create a waiting list. Waiting lists are great for your financial stability (and therefore peace of mind). If someone pulls out, you don't need to scramble to find a replacement - a simple email to your waiting list will do the trick.

Abundant Ideas for Creating Scarcity

This article is getting a little long - and the irony's not lost on me.

So let me say here: this isn't the final word on scarcity. There are plenty of ways to make what you offer rarer without becoming obscure.

If nothing else, you could combine these ideas.

For example, you could offer a free eBook and a discounted subscription to anyone who books a session with you.

(With a time limit on that deal, of course.)

Either way, you have the freedom of taking the time to get all this right.

Then again, if you're thinking: eBooks? Subscriptions? Bonus reports? Who has time for all that?

You're not alone in thinking that. If you're prone to Writer's Block, abandoning projects halfway or chronic time shortages, then I'll get to the point.

Take less than an hour - even over lunch or dinner - and complete my writing course. By the end, you'll be able to churn out more than enough for what you need.

If you're ready to write like a demon, follow this affiliate link:

https://skl.sh/2PymK9O

About the author: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/William_T_Batten/2522089



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10300438

How To Write Sales Copy That Sells: 4 Types of Scarcity Marketing

How do you call your customers to action to take up your service?

Scarcity is a really effective tool used everywhere. Like when you are looking on a hotel website and it says "only 2 rooms left at this price" right?

Alex Cattoni has a great video here about what scarcity is in marketing and how you should and should not use it

How To Start An Online eCommerce Business with $0 THIS YEAR!

Watch how Andrew Ethan Zeng approaches starting up an eCommerce business with no money
Sounds too good to be true? Watch and decide

Digital Marketing Tips You Must Know

If you are looking for overall tips on digital marketing, this article from M Shalini gives a combination of strategies


You'll agree with when it is said that digital marketing - and all its sub-classifications, including SEO, online networking, content creation, email, and that's only the tip of the iceberg - is basic for any organization's as well as personal development.

With more than four billion internet users, and more than 3.4 billion active social media users, it makes sense that digital advertising is fundamental for contacting a bigger crowd than you could through traditional techniques alone. To help inspire you coming up with your digital marketing strategy, keep reading to learn some critical tips you must know.

Don't Just Write About Products and Services

That can distance any person who isn't already close to buying. Rather, put the time in finding out about what your intended interest group is keen on, and create content that adjusts these interests to what your image can offer. For instance, in case you're selling espresso machines, you may make a blog series that is about"the various ways to improve your morning schedule".

Focus on The Long Term

In any case, utilizing short-sighted strategies that produce some attention and may bring about a momentary spike eventually won't set you, or your clients, up for accomplishment in the long term. As digital marketers, you should concentrate on creating request through supportive and client driven campaigns.

Remain flexible as audience preferences shift

You constantly need to guarantee that digital strategies stay relevant to your intended target group. For example, in case you're focusing on a gathering who's active on Instagram, center around that stage and consider utilizing your resources to make engaging Instagram Stories, rather than investing a lot of energy making YouTube videos. However, focus on if, and when, your audience's preferences shift.

Try New Things

For instance, in case you're experiencing low commitment with your advertising messages, try out inventive titles to help your open rates. Or on the other hand,release a series of themed content that keeps your audience coming back for more. Little changes can have huge outcomes.

Incorporate SEO into your overall content strategy

Incorporating a SEO technique into your topic choice and blog writing is the most ideal route for long term traffic growth. Use websites like Ahrefs or SEMRush to discover what individuals in your industry are searching for and discussing as an initial step to maximizing your blog's potential.

Match your content to every stage of a buyer's journey

It doesn't make sense to focus on a promotion for a business demo at someone in the awareness stage. It likewise doesn't make sense to focus on awareness stage offer, like recommend a blog post, at somebody who is ready to purchase. Therefore, it is crucial to match your content to every stage of a buyer's journey.

The Takeaway

The significance of digital marketing is that you can, without much of a hassle, track and screen your campaigns. At the point when you put time and cash into your campaigns, you want to know if they are working. Digital advertising makes it simple for you to follow your campaigns, which allows you to adjust and drive for better outcomes.

If you are looking for a digital marketing company in Mumbai, we suggest that you check out CrawlMyLine. They are the best digital marketing agency any online business can ever get.

About the author: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Shalini_M/2609777



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10327621

The 4 Step System For Working At Home and Making $300 Per Day Online

Want an outline guide to getting started making money online? Don't get caught up in the $300 a day title. Maybe you want more, maybe less is ok for you. but look at the steps from AJ Simon for a simple outline to start up step by step


In this article I will show you a proven 3 step system for working at home. You'll see exactly how average people are making $100,000 per year online working from their own home.

Let's get started!

Step 1.) Choose an affiliate program.

This is a critical step. Make sure that the affiliate program you choose pays on a monthly recurring basis. This will ensure that you make the most money possible.

The niche you choose should have a hungry audience of buyers. These people will be highly motivated to purchase products within the market you have chosen to start your home business around.

I look for affiliate programs that pay 50% or more commission per sale I refer. This will be the best way to succeed with a work at home business model. I suggest you do the same.

You can find great products to promote in the "make money online" niche topic on WarriorPlus, ClickBank and Maxbounty affiliate networks.

Step 2.) Create an automated marketing system or use one prepared for you.

You wouldn't want to go door to door trying to sell your products would you?

No way! That's why you need your own marketing system in place to sell the information products on your behalf. This system will have sales materials in place to sell your affiliate products. Some networks will give you "Don for you" solutions.

Step 3.) Drive traffic to your automated marketing system

When your system is complete, you can send clicks or website visitors to your sales funnel system. This will ensure that you make a positive return on investment.

This is especially important if you are using paid marketing strategies like Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Bing Ads or Media Buys.

Step 4.) Follow-up with your new leads to close as many sales as possible

Write a follow-up email marketing campaign that is around 14 days. So each new subscriber will get a new email from you every single day.

This ensures that you can get them to purchase your affiliate courses over time. Not everyone will buy a product the first time they see it. So it's important to have this in place.

As you can see, the steps are pretty straight forward. But the key to your success at working from home is to have all these things in place so you don't have to worry about results not being profitable. Cheers to your future success my friend!

Want to start your dream business for $1 buck?

If so, watch my free video here and I'll show you the best online business you can start this year. I'll also give you all my marketing materials and sales funnels for you to jumpstart your business fast and finally see profitable results online.:-)

About the author: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/AJ_Simon/213151

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9285704

How to Use LinkedIn to Get Clients - LinkedIn Lead Generation (LinkedIn ...

Often overlooked by social media marketers, LinkedIn is a great tool for business to business selling (B2B)
The key is in getting good lead lead generation. Jordan Platten explains

The Taoist Approach to Email Timing

If you are serious about marketing online you'll be growing a strong database for your email list

Did you ever stop to consider there could be some useful tactics about employing your email list?

In his article here William T Batten gives an overview of a few things to think about

I've heard lots of folk obsess about when to send emails to your list.

And I've read entire chapters in books dedicated to this topic.

Some folks say it's best to send them in the mornings. Lots of readers check their email first thing, so you want to be at the top of the list.

Similar reasoning goes into lunchtime emails, commute-home emails and evening emails.

Then they turn around and pretend they've said something useful, instead of 'almost any time, really'.

So... great. Send your emails whenever, I guess.

But it gets worse than that.

When should your emails circle the globe?

I once almost signed up for a marketing course. This little anecdote isn't why I decided against it - a few things didn't work out - but it's funnier if I say it is.

Anyway, the sales letter for this training said these two things, with full sincerity.

"We provide this elite training online to students in over 50 countries around the world."

And:

"We have our weekly FAQs at 2:00pm, which is a convenient way to break up your afternoon."

Sigh...

You know, sometimes it's frustrating living in Australia. Whenever a movie or project launches 'next Spring" we have to wonder, so they mean Autumn? And when something arrives 'on the 10th', it's really the 11th for us.

Minor inconveniences, sure.

But this sort of stuff really takes the pie.

The meetings are at 2pm? Great. Whose 2pm? They didn't even include a time zone with that...

As it turned out, that oh-so convenient 'afternoon meeting' was 4am my time. Yeesh.

So many marketers brag about knowing their prospects inside and out... yet forget they live in different time zones.

This comes back to your emails. Maybe you decide you want to catch the morning vibes with a 6am email. Whose 6am, though? Because it's always early morning, late afternoon and the dead of night somewhere.

No time is the right time

But maybe you run a local business, so all your readers are in one time zone. What then, huh?

There's a sensible yet paradoxical philosophy in Taoism. Hints of it show up in other religions - definitely Buddhism too.

The Taoists say it like this:

No Way is the Way.

Translation:

If someone shows you 'the Way' (to enlightenment, say), then it isn't the Way. The Way can't be shown or codified. You have to find it for yourself. There's only so far dogma and gurus and teaching can take you.

The answer can never come from without.

So if you hear an answer, it isn't the right one.

Similarly, no time can be the right time. Let's say someone discovers that, sure enough, 6am is the perfect time to send an email. Within a month, everyone blasts their lists then, drowning each other out.

Meanwhile, the email that arrives 12 hours 'late' stands out.

So don't sweat it. Send them whenever you want.

Besides...

I doubt it matters much anyway. Folks read emails that are interesting, persuasive and informative, not those that arrive at just the right time.

Focus on getting your writing down, rather than chasing a minor-if-anything boost from timing.

"But, wait, timing does matter for me!"

Then again, some of you will need to focus on your schedule.

If you announce lunchtime flash sales for your restaurant, you probably want to send them at 11am or noon, not evening.

Lighter emails might land better on Wednesdays (from folks looking for a mid-week break), Fridays (just because) or the weekend.

Business emails probably want to go out during business hours. Maybe. Who knows?

If your business has a niche relationship to time, I invite you to figure it out for yourself. Don't ask your readers - they'll probably tell you to email less simply because they hate spam. Test it. Experiment with different times and see what leads to sales.

But for most businesses, the timing doesn't matter so much.

The point, which I've spent over 600 words making, is this isn't worth thinking about too hard. It's small potatoes. Get your offer and your message right, and everything else falls into place.

I've only written an article about this because so many folks wonder about it. So wonder no more.

If you're still nervous about timing?

Then email every day.

That way you're more likely to hit the right times.

And if you want to know how to create that much content for your readers, without boring them or burning out, you want my Write Like a Demon course. It's thanks to these principles that I've churned out hundreds of articles a year on everything from marketing to self-improvement.

You can stream the course here:

https://skl.sh/2PymK9O

About the author: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/William_T_Batten/2522089

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10326328

How to use Video Marketing to Grow Your Business

Video marketing is not only great but pretty much essential now

If you have a product to sell and a customer to sell to then you really will need to start adopting video marketing



Check this informative film from Ahrefs so find out more

Please comment below about how it applies to you or what you would do instead

How much does it cost to run a TikTok Ad Marketing Campaign?

TikTok is making a rapidly rising impact on the world right now
Some people are even polarised in their outlook on the platform

Take a look at this analysis if the costs involved in using TikTok for your Ad Marketing campains

How to Attract Customers - 5 Marketing Strategies to Dominate Social media

This video from Tyson Zahner is from back in 2018 but the message is still fresh.
Note how the points are very clearly customer focussed.

As he says "Talk about your PROSPECT, not your product"

What do you think of his message? What can it do for your marketing?

The Most Tragic Mistake a New Marketer Almost Always Makes

The Most Tragic Mistake a New Marketer Almost Always Makes
By: Richard Meredith

So... you're a new marketer, and you want to make extra money or even perhaps a great living!  One of the first things you do is join an affiliate program or downline club of some sort.  Or maybe even you are trying your hand at Ebay or another auction service by marketing some nicely profitable product.  Now, once you have some sort of online business vehicle, your mind must gravitate to exactly what kind of advertising to generate sales or memberships.

Online business is an awful lot like regular advertising. What draws you to a business in your home town? Coupons? Specials? Give-aways? A personal recommendation from a friend or trusted associate?

Oh yes - and here is a little secret that is often not known or ignored:

When it comes to building any kind of business online you do the same thing!  Give away a free report, an informative ebook, a trial software, an online course, or maybe a subscription to a free newsletter or ezine.  This is just simply the way it is done with online business, period.  But here is the most critical part... you MUST capture the name and email address FIRST before you give access to it!

It is widely known by all of the top marketers online that your PRIMARY task to be successful is to compile a list of people (prospective customers) that are interested in the type of thing you are giving away!  This is so easy to do with an autoresponder.  They just fill a form, and they are automatically added to your list, and then are redirected to your download page or membership site.

Then the next task is to automatically send a series of messages with that autoresponder that tell more about the reasons why your product or products (or membership program) are BENEFICIAL to them!  WHY? Because it is infinitely better to contact a prospect several times rather than only once.  It is a proven fact that most people will NOT  buy from you or join your program until they have been approached at least 5 to 7 times.  This is done as I said, automatically, on a timed basis slowly tapering off until it is a slow drip of messages until they buy or join- or unsubscribe from your list.  And when you run special promotions of any kind, a feature of the best autoresponders allows you to broadcast to your entire list any time you want.  This is how many marketers can make huge amounts of money and sales ON DEMAND- whenever and as often as they like!

Details about which autoresponders are best, and the techniques of developing a list and how often to mail to that list are subjects that deserve more time and attention than can be given here... but suffice it to say that if YOU are not FIRST developing a list, and then marketing to your list AFTERWARDS- you're just missing the boat!

Pure and simple!

So if you are advertising an affiliate link, or your products' sale page... or anything other than your free subscription, report, ebook, or course - it can indeed be the most tragic mistake you can make in your online business strategy!

If this is you, pull back and regroup, and completely re-think your marketing strategy now before you lose too much time, money, energy, or motivation.

And remember... BUILD your LIST!

Author Bio
Richard Meredith is the author of the critically acclaimed ebook "The BLACK BOOK of Online Business"- the must-have source book for anyone doing business online... or even THINKING about it!
www.straight-talkmarketing.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
http://www.articlegeek.com/business/marketing/mistake_new_marketer_makes.htm

Avoid these 3 affiliate marketing mistakes

Marketing Strategy: How To Write Copy That Turns Website Visitors Into C...

10 Psychological Triggers to MAKE PEOPLE BUY From YOU! (How to Increase ...

So, what psychological triggers do make people buy from you?


Watch this film to learn some of the psychological techniques that may be worth investigating

How To Choose The Best Affiliate Program And Make Money Online

Throughout this article, which has been adapted from the original by Christian Battistoni, we consider how there is so much choice in affiliate programs and how we should consider what is best for our own business.

Advertising products and services via the net is certainly less difficult and more profitable when compared to conventional advertising strategies. With the hundreds of thousands of people worldwide getting online every day, there’s an enormous opportunity for a service provider to promote their products and generate huge income.

However, merchandisers are not the handiest ones who can gain from online advertising. A booming enterprise nowadays offers high-quality opportunity as properly to individuals as associate entrepreneurs. In affiliate marketing, an affiliate marketer doesn’t need to have his very own products and services to sell. All he desires to do is to refer human beings to the merchant’s enterprise web page for them to buy the goods and thereby, earn a fee.

The important thing to an affiliate marketer’s achievement is to pick out a good affiliate application and to employ splendid advertising strategies in promoting the products to clients. Why exactly is there no single clear winner amongst associate programs? There is no “quality associate advertising and marketing program,” as one software might make one affiliate marketer a millionaire and the opposite an annoyed marketer. In other words, it could be a fulfillment to one and a failure to every other. However, there genuinely is great affiliate marketing software, to start out with. A way to make it exceptional could now rely upon you.

But before you reflect on consideration on how you're going to make it pleasant and financially worthwhile, first reflect on consideration on how you are going to land on an awesome associate software with the lots of affiliate advertising possibilities abounding on the internet these days. Try to inspect the following hints and recommendations on a way to fine pick out the affiliate software that’s proper for you.



Data, that’s what you need so that you can make the right preference. It's remarkably useful when you have already focused your niche to a specific hobby, which can be the topic of your internet site (if you have already got one). In this manner, you'll be capable of directing yourself in the direction of a program that honestly fits your desires, wishes, and assets. It might be less complicated to be able to eliminate options that are not proper to your personal standards for an excellent associate advertising and marketing application. You can join affiliate forums and research a few recommendations and get guidelines from skilled affiliate marketers. However, be wise enough to weigh up their benefits before you buy them.

Internet affiliate marketing software networks are the correct places to search for choices. Right there you can encounter traders and affiliate entrepreneurs. The traders advertise their associate applications to interested affiliates who join up inside the network totally free. Third-party affiliate program networks are beneficial considering they provide you with getting right of entry to a big range of advertisers (merchandisers) concurrently. You may easily track and compare their sales statistics, performances, benefits, products, and services.

So now you have choices, the next query is which amongst the options is the right one. Right here are a few things to take into account in identifying which to take and which to reject. First is the pleasantness of the goods and offerings. As an affiliate marketer your intention isn't best to make visitors of your site click on the link to another business site; but more importantly, to promote the product in order that they might buy it. If the customers are not convinced upon going to the enterprise web site, then you definitely don’t earn. Be certain the products you are endorsing are worthwhile or in the enterprise context, saleable. Ask yourself: if I were the consumer, would I buy it? Would I endorse it to my circle of relatives or a associates? If you can’t convince yourself or those you know to buy it, test your next alternative.



Next is the affiliate program or the merchandiser’s records. Look into their preceding and present sales records, their validated and examined affiliate advertising structures, and their companions’ studies with them. Even though the fulfillment of this system simply relies upon you, this one remains very important. The sales statistics don’t necessarily display how right the associates are, but they speak approximately of the products’ reliability, marketplace availability, and the corporation or the merchandisers’ reputation as well. Moreover, check out and thoroughly study the enterprise’s reimbursement plan. Your purpose for joining this system is to earn, so ensure you’ll be paid for all your efforts fairly.

In case you do now not have tons of time to promote intensively the affiliate products by means of growing banners, pics, and articles, choose affiliate packages that help you create these on your web web site. It would be awesome if the agency provides education on how to effectively market merchandise on-line. Take into account that affiliate advertising is a partnership, so make certain your companion is capable of guide you as you help him promote his services and products.

Note all the benefits and disadvantages of every program you are thinking about so you can truly see the difference among your options; then later, evaluate the best parts of the packages with your own tick list. Take time to acquire all the data you need to pick out the proper software. Bear in mind a knowledgeable preference is an excellent outcome.


Original article source: https://articlebiz.com/article/1051672003-how-to-choose-the-best-affiliate-program-and-make-money-online

A Complete 2020 Marketing Strategy That Requires No Budget | Digital Age...

How I Built An eCommerce Business That Does $6,000/Day

How to Find Your Marketing Sweet Spot

Ever feel you're making a lot of forward progress but don't really know where you're going?

Today a client brought this up in an email to me. She's been doing great at attracting new clients but wants to get a different kind of client and is not sure of her direction.

Half the battle of attracting clients is becoming clear on the following three things:

1. Who are my ideal clients? Individuals, small business owners, or corporations? What industry, job title, etc.

2. What are their problems, challenges and issues? If you don't know or understand what your clients are struggling with, you can't get their attention and interest.

3. What outcomes do they want? This is usually the mirror image of #2 above. You just need to articulate it in a way that resonates with your ideal clients.

If you are clear on all of the above, you can then develop and implement various marketing strategies to get in front of these ideal clients, make connections and ultimately turn them into paying clients.

But what if you're not clear about who your ideal clients are, their challenges and desired outcomes?

Then you need to do some work to get clear. Here are some steps you can take.

1. Inventory your strengths. Let's say you're a business coach or consultant of some kind. What skills to you excel at? Are you analytical or relational? Do you like detail work or do you prefer mapping out the big picture? Do you like hands-on projects or would you prefer to support others in accomplishing things?

2. What work is most fulfilling for you? You may have strengths in various areas, but what work do you find the most fun and interesting? Working alone, analyzing spreadsheets might float your boat, or leading large group training sessions may be your definition of exhilaration.

3. Where is the demand and the money? You might love the idea of organizing women's kitchens for maximum efficiency, but struggle to find anyone to pay you to do that. But organizing the office space of large law firms may be even more satisfying and much more financially rewarding.

If you overlap these three areas, you're closer to finding your "Marketing Sweet Spot."

"I'm good at doing this, I really like doing this and I know where there's a need for my skills and the ability to pay me for them."

Well, OK, but how do you get there?

It can be tricky figuring this out on your own and you're caught in your own self-refferential bubble. You know what you want but not what's out there.

The way to figure this out is to get out there and talk to people. A lot of people.

A current client of mine did this. Over a period of a few months she set up appointments and interviewed 100 people in business.

She learned what they were working on, what their challenges were, what they wanted to accomplish.

And before too long, she got very clear on her marketing sweet spot.

She saw the areas where she could contribute her strengths in the areas she enjoyed and where there was a need and demand.

And soon after, a number of the people she interviewed ended up asking her how she could help them.

It took her awhile to figure out how she'd define her actual services, but before long she was offering consulting and training in communication skills and selling.

I'll be honest: I haven't met many people who've had the smarts and courage to do this. But she found it very natural.

She started connecting with the people she'd done business with in her 21-year career in the staffing industry and then asked them who else she should meet with.

So, if you're not clear on what you should be doing as an independent professional and where the demand is for your talents, I suggest you start reaching out to your network and setting up meetings.

Remember, you're not selling your professional services yet; you're on a journey of discovery that may lead to the independent professional business of your dreams.

Cheers, Robert

Article source: https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Find-Your-Marketing-Sweet-Spot&id=10120407

Pinterest for Business -Does it make sense for your niche?

Article by Sean W Taylor

A lot of people just assume that Pinterest does not make sense for your business. Specifically, if you are a man, you might just stay clear completely of Pinterest. Well, you might be making a big mistake.

Pinterest for Business - Does it make sense for your niche?

When people think of Pinterest, odds are they are thinking of recipes, home decor or some type of arts and crafts. There's a lot more when it comes to Pinterest. There are pins and boards that cover a wide range of topics.

For example, think of a topic you would never think would be even considered. For example, let's take fantasy football. After doing a quick search on Pinterest for "fantasy football" you might be shocked to find out there is actually some fantasy football content out there. Most of it is geared toward fantasy football draft parties, but still, there is some content out there.

Now if you have an account on fantasy football do you want to spend a lot of time with Pinterest for business? Probably not, but this was just to make an example of the diversity of content that's on Pinterest.

Another example for something you might not expect to be on Pinterest is video gaming. For instance, you can find a great deal of content on Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation and more. A lot of it has to do with the art side of gaming and DIY projects to create cases for your systems and things like that but still, there are a lot of topics on Pinterest you can target, even if you have a video gaming blog.

So how do you know if your niche is something that makes sense for taking to Pinterest? Well, one way, obviously, is to search on their site and see what type of content exists on the platform already.

Another method is when you are typing search phrases on the Pinterest site, type slowly and see if the predictive text suggests related topics to finish your search. This serves as an indicator that shows people are actually searching for these words or phrases on there. If you get several different words to finish what you are typing that is a great sign that you are on the right track to targeting something people get on Pinterest for.

So what are you waiting for? Take action! Many people get thousands of pageviews to their website a day and all of it from Pinterest.

So you're ready to stop waiting around and take advantage of the massive Pinterest traffic out there?

Click here to get started with Pinterest Marketing.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sean_W_Taylor/211439