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

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.

The rules have changed. Are you keeping up? If you need some help, here are my five rules for writing web content that “wows.”

1. People use the internet because they want helpful information they can use right now. So give it to them. That will give you credibility with consumers.

2. Forget everything you learned in your English composition classes. When you’re writing for the web, write like you speak. Leave out the jargon and complex sentences. However, good grammar and proper punctuation are still essential.

3. Be consistent. It’s not enough to write a blog post or update your social media sites once every so often. Publish information regularly. Blog editorial calendars and marketing schedules can help you stay on track.

4. Be everywhere. Internet users expect to be able to communicate with you in multiple ways. Your website alone won’t cut it. Set up a Facebook page. Get blogging. Post regular tweets to your Twitter account. You might even want to set up your own social network to get your clients communicating with you, and with each other.

5. Remember that you don’t have to do it all on your own. Feeling overwhelmed by the myriad ways to communicate on the internet? Consider partnering with a virtual assistant to help you communicate more effectively.

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

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:

1.    Ensure it’s a well-crafted press release.
If you’re new to writing press releases, it’s a good idea to hire a professional writer.  Besides conforming to a particular structure, a press release needs to grab the attention of its audience, present a newsworthy story in an engaging manner, and have perfect grammar and structure. If you’re not sure you can meet those requirements yourself, have an experienced writer write one for you or edit the draft you’ve already written.

2.    It must be newsworthy… or not.
A good writer can spin almost any event into an interesting press release, but if it’s not news – real, honest, sink-your-teeth-into-it news – it probably won’t be picked up by the media outlets.  Editors see right through veiled attempts at self-promotion, and won’t give them a second glance.  Rather than trying to invent news, wait until you have something with enough substance to issue a release.

However, with the recent growth of social media, this has become one rule you can break. If you’re planning to submit your release online, you’re no longer just writing for the media.  Now regular people can find your press release when they search for keywords that you included in your release. They aren’t as interested in cold hard news, but they do want interesting and relevant information

3.    Use keys words and provide a link back to your site.
If your press release has your keywords and phrases sprinkled throughout, it has the potential to show up well in search engine results for those words and phrases.  Include a link to your website, if you have one, so visitors and search engine spiders can easily find your site after they’ve found your press release.   To find out what words are being searched on, a keyword suggestion tool such as www.wordtracker.com can give you some ideas.

Submit it to the free online press release sites, like PR.com.  If they accept your press release, it will be posted on the web and has a good chance of showing up for searches on your favorite keywords and phrases.

4.    Submit, but double-check before you follow up.
Submit your press release to every media outlet that might be interested in your story.  This includes online press release sites, relevant magazines, newspapers, television and radio stations.  Don’t just submit blindly – to be taken seriously, ensure your story is suitable for the media outlet and send it to the appropriate editor by name.

Should you follow up with the editors? Now there’s a question. It really depends on who you ask. I’ve spoken with editors who recommend a follow up phone call or email. But others have warned me that they dislike follow-ups so much, a follow-up phone call will ensure your press release ends up in the trash. To be safe, I don’t recommend following up unless you’re sure your call will be welcomed.

5.    Place your press release on your website or include it in an information package.
Even if your press release isn’t picked up by the media, it hasn’t been a waste of time.  Start a new section on your website titled “News” or “Press Releases” and post your press releases there. This is an easy way to build credibility with your site visitors and to give them more information about your company.

You might also consider including the press release in an information package that you provide for new and continuing clients.  When they are regularly informed on your latest business news, they will feel more confident and comfortable working with you.

Following these steps will help ensure your press release is as effective as possible.

But remember, even the best-received press releases are not marketing magic wands. Consistency is key. Keep writing and submitting them. But don’t sit back and wait for your fairy godmother to show up.

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.

If you’re thinking about ramping up your press release marketing campaign, one resource you might want to consider is Chase’s Calendar of Events . It’s filled with thousands of special days, events and weeks that you can write press releases about.

If nothing there appeals to you, you can go ahead and create your own holiday. Just go here and submit an entry to create your own holiday. They are no longer accepting entries for 2011, but you can still get your special day in the 2012 edition.

Another resource you should take a look at is the downloadable report, Weekly Press Release Planning Made Easy. At only $7.99, it’s a lot less expensive than Chase’s  and includes ideas for writing 52 newsworthy press releases – one a week for the next year.

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.

Why don’t you engage and give me a call next week?

Next Monday, I’m launching Office Hours with Denise. For two hours each week, I’ll be sitting here by my phone, eagerly anticipating your phone call.

You’re invited to call me up and chat about whatever’s on your mind. We can check out your blog or website content together. Talk about your upcoming book or the articles you’re writing. Working at home, starting an online business, homeschooling the kids, or even about our dogs. It’s all fair game.

Really, I just want to learn more about the people I’m hooking up with online, and I want to give you the chance to get to know me better too.

The hours will vary each week, because I’m a busy mom and dog owner as well as a full-time entrepreneur. But you can find out about my open office hours each week by visiting my Facebook page.

I’m looking forward to talking (for real!) with you soon.

However, thanks to the many opportunities now available because of the Internet, that’s all changing. It has become much easier for authors to reach a broader audience with their books and develop creative ways of earning an income from their writing.

If you’re an author who wants to better promote your book and earn more money, here are some of the ways you can do so. If you’re working with a publicist or with a publishing company, these strategies will compliment their work too.

Three Easy Ways to Promote Your Book on the Internet

Advertise your book all across the Web. Writing articles on your topic of expertise is an effective and simple way to start to gain recognition for yourself and your book. You can publish them at reprint article directories and websites that are popular with your target audience.

At the end of the article, be sure to include a resource box that includes a link to your website where readers can go to learn more about your book, download a free chapter, or sign up for your newsletter.

Build some publicity for your book. Press releases are another tool you can use to build recognition and credibility for you and your book. Press releases are no longer written just for the media outlets. You can now publish your press release all over the Internet so they will show up in the search engine results whenever someone searches on the topic of your book. To build some extra buzz, tie your book into a special day or event and write a press release about it.

Become a professional speaker. You don’t need to travel the country to promote your book with speaking engagements. Instead, offer teleseminars and webinars on your subject. This is a great way to build interest in your book and become known as an expert.

Now, Turn Your Expertise into a Money-Making Machine

Once you have a published book and are known as an expert on your subject, people will pay you for sharing your knowledge with them.

Here are some ways you can use your book as a springboard for creating other paid products and services. The more different ideas you develop, the more income earning potential you will have.

Compile the articles you’ve written into an e-book or a special report and sell it. Because a digital book costs so little to produce, you can set it at a much lower price than your book.

Create a paid membership site. Use a membership program like Wishlist or Ning to set up a community that people can pay to join and access your expertise as needed.

Paid teleseminars and webinars. If you’ve been offering free teleseminars and events, it may be time to add some extra value and start charging for them. Or you can record your free sessions and sell the recordings and transcripts.
Become a paid consultant. Whatever your area of expertise, you can probably hire out your experience on a consulting basis.

If you promote your book consistently, and work at developing new income opportunities, you can become a well-known author and earn a good income from your writing.

A press release must be newsworthy.

But rules are made to be broken. And the role of press releases has changed.

No longer do you need to go through the media to reach the masses. Instead, you can get the masses to come to you by publishing your press releases online.

When you’re writing a press release for online submission, it doesn’t need to be newsy.

Here on the Internet, your audience isn’t only traditional media. Now it’s your consumer. And your consumer probably isn’t online searching for news. More likely, he’s here looking for information.

The person who provides that information is the first person he will think of when he’s ready to make a purchase decision.

So, how can you go from writing newsy releases to informational?

I like to turn my articles into press releases. They’re already informational, and by putting them into a different format, I can get more exposure for work I’ve already done. Gotta like that.

Make sure, too, that you include your keywords in the title and throughout your release so it will show up well in the search engine rankings.

Now, where you should submit your press releases online? I’ve put together a list of some of the best press release submission sites for you to use.

When you do submit your release, read the rules of the press release sites first. They each have different criteria and will reject releases that don’t follow their rules.

Wait… What was that rule about breaking rules? You see, there goes another one.