Why Outsourcing Works and Cheap Light Bulbs Don’t
June 10, 2010I used to buy generic light bulbs from the grocery store. What a steal! They were half the price of the name brand bulbs. But when I had to replace them four times as often, I realized I hadn’t gotten such a good deal after all.
The cheapest deal isn’t always the best deal.
When business owners start looking for service providers to outsource to, they sometimes seem to forget that little fact. Judging from many inquiries I’ve been getting lately, a lot of people are getting hung up on price.
Service providers aren’t all that different from light bulbs. We both brighten up your day, for one thing. For another, you always get what you pay for. Cheaper prices usually mean lesser quality.
If you’re still asking, “How much will this cost me?” you’re asking the wrong question. When it comes to outsourcing your business needs to service providers, the real question should be:
“How much will this profit me?”
If you pay someone to write an article for you, how many leads will that article bring?
If you pay someone to redesign your website, how many more visitors will the up-to-date look convert?
If you pay someone to write a press release for you, how much exposure will your business get?
It’s impossible to say for sure, of course. But I can tell you this: it depends on the quality of the finished product.
The wonder of outsourcing is that it doesn’t actually save you money. Instead, it creates opportunities for you to make more money.
So, doesn’t it make sense that price should not be a sticking point when you’re looking for someone to outsource to? Don’t you want to create as many money making opportunities for yourself as possible?
If you’re still looking for the lowest price, you have the idea behind outsourcing all wrong.
But please give me a call anyway. I can give you a great deal on a box of light bulbs I’m not using.
Are you thinking of outsourcing your web content? I help my clients build relationships with their “people” by writing professional blogs, articles and press releases, then publishing and repurposing them in strategic ways.
Check out my portfolio and read my client testimonials. Then request a quote for your content marketing needs.
Want to learn more about Roxy and Smokey? You’ll find that here
DeniseTopics: Press Release Marketing, Writing that Matters, article marketing | No Comments »
Five Things I Learned About Business from My Four-legged Friends
June 9, 2010If you’ve been reading my blog or following me on Twitter and Facebook, you’ll know that I live in a zoo – literally. Two dogs, two cats and two guinea pigs.
The dogs, Roxy and Smoky, and the cats, Shadow and Daisy, provide loads of of entertainment for the rest of us. Like when the cats try to steal the pencils out of my kids hands while they’re doing their schoolwork. Or when Roxy pushes Enter on my keyboard before I’m done typing a tweet… The guinea pigs’ grunts and squeaks provide the soundtrack for all the action around here.
But I’ve also learned a lot by inviting this small menagerie into my life. For one thing, never leave a sandwich, even an extremely well-wrapped one, on the coffee table while you’re putting on your coat. When you turn around, the sandwich will be gone, but your dog will be very proud of herself for figuring out how to unwrap it.
Surprisingly, they’ve even taught me a thing or two about running a business. Here are five lessons my furry friends have taught me about what it takes to be successful, while still staying cute and cuddly.
1. Sometimes the right time is right now.
One morning I had a sudden attack of insanity brainwave and suggested to my husband that it might be fun to adopt a couple of kittens for the kids. So, we went to the SPCA to see if they had two kittens in need of a loving home. And they did! An adorable brother and sister, just a few months old. We hesitated for a moment… Wouldn’t it wouldn’t be smarter to really think things through before bringing two kittens home? Were we sure that now was really the right time? Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Work at Home Life, Writing that Matters | No Comments »
We Have Summer Guests – Robins!
June 2, 2010Over the weekend, a couple of summertime guests arrived – two robins who wanted to build a nest just outside our front window. Our indoor cat, Shadow, is getting quite a thrill out of stalking them through the glass. This is going to be an exciting summer for him!
Here’s a picture of the nest and one of the robins. They sit perfectly still whenever we walk by – probably hoping we don’t notice them.
I know it’s a little silly… I can’t help but feel honored that they chose to build their nest at my house this year.
DeniseTopics: Work at Home Life | 1 Comment »
My Five Rules for Writing “Wowser!” Web Content
June 2, 2010Out here on the wild, wild web, users’ attention spans are short. Your competition is just a click away. Is your web content engaging your website visitors? Or sending them to check out the next guy (gal)?
According to Chase’s Calendar of Events, June is Effective Communications Month. For internet entrepreneurs, that means it’s the perfect time to evaluate how effectively you’re communicating information on the world wide web.
A website that lists your phone number and an email address is no
longer considered “effective communication.”
Online communication tools like blogs, articles, and community forums have contributed to an internet culture that wants the information they need to be easy to find. And they want it right now.
The increasing usage of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter means internet users want to engage with businesses like yours in myriad ways. Read the rest of this entry »
DeniseTopics: Blogging, Press Release Marketing, Writing that Matters, article marketing | No Comments »
Five Steps to a Powerful Press Release
June 1, 2010The number of Internet articles about how to use press releases to win more clients and get free publicity grows daily. At the same time, the number of articles and blog posts explaining why press releases don’t work – or worse, why they are a waste of time – is growing too.
What is an internet business owner to think?
Here’s the truth:
Press releases can be useful marketing tools so long as they’re accompanied by realistic expectations.
A press release is NOT a magic wand. True, some small businesses and entrepreneurs have received exceptional exposure and media attention from their press releases. But even if yours is picked up by the media, chances are that it will not suddenly bring you truckloads of clients or make you instantly famous.
However, if you arm yourself with realistic expectations and a bit of expert knowledge, you can achieve impressive results with your press release. Here are five steps that you can take be to sure you benefit from yours as much as possible: Read the rest of this entry »
DeniseTopics: Press Release Marketing, Publicity | No Comments »
A Whole Year’s Worth of Newsy Press Release Ideas
May 31, 2010One of the most common myths people believe about press releases is that sending out one (usually to announce the opening of your business) is going to make you famous. Or at least earn you a call from a local reporter. Then, when it doesn’t happen for them, they lose all faith in press releases and say they just don’t work.
Press releases do work. I’ve used them to help my clients sell more books, get more exposure for their online businesses, and so on. But it takes time and consistency to earn the trust of consumers and the media.
That means you need to be sending out press releases on a regular basis. Read the rest of this entry »
DeniseTopics: Press Release Marketing | No Comments »
Hiring a Ghost Writing Service? Three Things You Need to Know
May 29, 2010Smart business owners know that outsourcing can be an affordable way to get more stuff done in less time. Article writing is one of those routine marketing tasks that can easily be delegated to another professional. But since you’re looking for a ghost writing service, you already knew that!
What you may not know is how to work with your ghost writer so you get the results you’re looking for.
As someone who has been ghost writing web content for several years now, I’ve learned that not everyone understands how the ghost writer/client relationship works best. Take these three things to heart, and you will be on your way to getting more than your money’s worth from the ghost writer you hire.
Generic articles get generic results.
Many small business owners will approach a ghost writer for the first time by saying, “I need a 500 word article on such-and-such a topic.” Your ghost writer will be able to produce that for you, of course. But if that’s all the information you give your writer, you’ll likely get a generic-sounding article that anyone could have written. And, more importantly, that no one will want to read. Read the rest of this entry »
DeniseTopics: Ghostwriting, Writing that Matters, article marketing | No Comments »
Favorite Friday Quotes
May 28, 2010Here are some of my favorite quotes about Fridays and weekends in general. I hope you enjoy them, and I hope you have a great weekend!
Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.
Joseph Addison
Weekends don’t count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless.
~Bill Watterson
Living up to ideals is like doing everyday work with your Sunday clothes on.
~Ed Howe
As I think of everything I didn’t get done this week, I appreciate this humorous reminder:
Only Robinson Crusoe had everything done by Friday.
~Author Unknown
Topics: Writing that Matters | No Comments »
A More Effective Way to Set Your Readers “Write”
May 27, 2010We all (or at least most of us!) are striving to learn better, smarter, faster ways of doing things. But do you actually like being told that the way you’re doing it now is wrong? I know I don’t.
In fact, if you come right out and tell me that I’m wrong about something that’s important to me, you’ll probably be able to watch my defences go up right before your eyes. It will be a few minutes (or days, depending) until I’m ready to listen to anything else you have to say. Even if it’s for my own benefit.
I’ve notice the same behavior in my colleagues and friends too. It seems that none of us enjoy being told we’re wrong! So, I think it’s safe to say that the people reading your articles feel the same way.
One of my favorite articles to write addresses a mistake my readers might be making and helping them correct it. An article like that is a tool I can use to educate my market and show them how I can help solve their problems.
But if I’m not careful, it can easily sound like I’m telling them they’re wrong and I’m right. You have to admit, it’s pretty hard to educate your reader if you’ve just offended them!
So, here’s a trick I’ve learned to more subtly make my point.
When you describe a common mistake or negative situation to your readers, avoid using the pronoun “you.” If you address your reader directly, you could possibly put them on the defensive.
Instead, write in the third person for that portion of the article. Your readers will probably identify with the behaviour you’re describing, but not feel like you’re accusing them of making that mistake.
Then, when you go on to explain your solution to the problem, they’ll be much more open to what you have to say.
That means they’ll be more open to clicking on the link in your resource box and eventually buying your product or service too.
DeniseTopics: Writing that Matters, article marketing | No Comments »
Marketing on a Rocky Mountain High
May 26, 2010In Canada, we celebrated Victoria Day earlier this week. I spent the long weekend at my brother’s mountain cabin in Montana.
There’s something about being there, alone in the mountains with only the trees and the stars for company, that reenergizes me. When I leave my brother’s place, I always tell myself I need to do this again soon. But you can guess what happens, can’t you? I get back to the city, to my schedule, to the busyness of everyday life and I forget.
I’ve learned that the best time to plan my next trip is on the drive home, while I’m still on that “Rocky Mountain high.” I don’t plan all the details. I just decide when I want to come back and set a date. Simple. But that simple step sets the groundwork for my next visit and makes it much easier for me to actually do it.
For some of us, marketing is the same way. It can be a challenge to maintain momentum in our marketing because we have so many distractions pulling us away from it. There’s client work to be done, family needs to take care of. And the list can go on and on.
An easy way to maintain your marketing momentum is to plan your next press release, article, or blog post as soon as you finish the one you’re working on right now.
Wait a second! Before you tell me I’m out of my mind and the one you’re writing now is hard enough as it is… let me explain.
I don’t mean that you should plan out every detail of what you’re going to do next. But take advantage of the frame of mind you’re in right now to make things easier for yourself the next time you sit down to write.
Jot down a couple of notes. Set a date you will finish it by. Simple stuff, but small steps that will make it easier to get your next one completed.
Here are some reasons why this strategy works.
- Your ideas are fresh in your mind so it’s easier to recognize how you can build on what you just wrote. Maybe next time you can elaborate on your blog post or turn that one article into a series. But if you just walk away from all those great ideas now, you’ll likely forget what they were. Write them down, right now, while you’re thinking of them.
- You’re still in a writing frame of mind. Now that you’ve gotten those creative juices flowing (or even trickling) take advantage of it.
- The next time you sit down to write, you won’t be faced with a blank page. Instead, you can begin working from the notes you already made. Because you know the brainstorming’s already been done, you’ll be more likely to sit down and finish it sooner.
If you plan your next move while you’re still on that marketing “high,” it will be easier to maintain your marketing momentum amidst the busyness of running your business.
DeniseTopics: Blogging, Press Release Marketing, article marketing | No Comments »