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

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?

We decided to go for it, and am I glad we did! When we were leaving with our new additions, a staff member told us that this had been the Shadow and Daisy’s last day. If they hadn’t been adopted by closing time, they were scheduled to be “put to sleep” the next day.

In business, sometimes it’s tempting to put things off. Maybe you want to do just “one more thing” before you’re ready. Maybe you’re wondering if right now really is the right time. Wouldn’t later be better, when you’re more prepared? But sometimes, the right time is right now. Go for it. Tomorrow the opportunity may be gone.

2.    You don’t know how far you can leap until you try.
Cats are created to jump. Soon Shadow and Daisy were jumping onto window ledges. And not quite making it. Trying to leap halfway across the basement from the back of the couch to one of the bookshelves. They usually fell just short of their goal. But sometimes they did make it. And over time, they learned what they really could do.

How many times have you considered trying something new, but worried you might fall flat on your face? You won’t know what you’re capable of until you try. True, you might fail. But even if you do, you will have a better sense of what you really are capable of. Or maybe you will know what to do differently next time.

3.    If you’re frightened, find a friend to walk beside you.
When we brought our dog Roxy home from the SPCA, she was scared of everything. Especially Shadow and Daisy. In fact, she wouldn’t even enter a room if they were there. But if I walked beside her, that changed everything. Suddenly she had the courage to walk right past those kitties to get wherever she wanted to go.

Facing fear is part of being in business. I love the saying, “If you aren’t a little bit scared, the game isn’t big enough.” But sometimes our fears hold us back from getting something we really want or need. When that happens, find a friend who’ll walk beside you. It might be a colleague who encourages you or a business coach or professional mentor who helps. When you have a friend at your side you, those big bad puddy-tats don’t look so scary after all.

4.    Persistence pays off.
In our house, we have a rule: animals do not come to the table. They are not fed from the table. They do not sit in our laps while we’re sitting at the table. But Roxy has found a way around all that. During meal times she sits just far enough away that I can’t accuse her of being underfoot and looks at me with those puppy-dog eyes… just waiting for me to be done eating so she can come sit on my lap and get just a nibble of whatever I’m having. And it works. Every time.

What goal are you pursuing, but just can’t seem to reach? Keep trying.  The puppy-dog eyes probably won’t work as well for you, but you have other recourses. If a paper doesn’t want to follow up on your press release, send them another, from a different angle. The company you want to work with doesn’t return your calls? Look for another way to get their attention. Whatever you do, don’t give up on goals that are important to you.

5.    A glass box is not real life.
Smoky is the most recent addition to our family. He came from a pet store where he spent his first six months living in a glass box. So, when we brought him home he had no clue what the real world was like. He ran for cover whenever a car drove by our house. He fell off the back deck when he backed up too far without looking at what was behind him. He had no idea why we would try to drag him beside us when we went for our walks. For six months, he had been watching the world, but hadn’t truly been a part of it.

Are you engaged with your audience? Or are you in a glass box, just watching things going on around you? To create meaningful relationships you need to leave that box and find ways to connect with your market. That means getting on Twitter, starting a Facebook page, sending out your newsletter, posting on your blog.

Get in touch with your market for real. Otherwise you’ll be hitting the gravel below the back deck before you even knew it was there.

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

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.

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.

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.

Web content is most effective when it is written in your unique voice and contains your one-of-a-kind ideas. Articles like that are the ones that will help you gain trust with your audience, and eventually turn them into clients.

To help your ghost writer produce a relationship-building article for you, give her some insight into your thoughts and ideas so they can be included. Alternatively, be prepared to add your own original ideas to the article after the ghost writer is done with it.

This is a relationship.

Once you’ve found someone you think you could have a good working relationship with, it’s worth investing the time to foster that relationship.

The longer you and your writer work together, the more she will understand your web content needs. As she learns about your business, she may even be able to help you plan your article topics and develop your article marketing strategy.

If the content you get from the ghost writer the first time isn’t exactly what you had in mind, don’t assume that using a ghost writer is not for you. Perhaps you need to communicate your ideas more clearly. Or perhaps it will just take some feedback to get her on the right track.

Maybe what you really need is a virtual assistant.

There are ghost writing services. And then there are virtual assistants who specialize in ghost writing.

What’s the difference? A ghost writer is just that.

A virtual assistant, on the other hand, has business sense and experience and can help you use the content she writes for you in strategic ways.

A virtual assistant can repurpose your content into blog posts, tweets, Facebook updates, ebooks, even teleseminars. If you don’t have a blog or don’t get social media, she can help you with that too. She can also help you find new places to publish your articles, and keep track of them for you.

The one article you paid for can be used in so many ways to find new prospects and win new clients. That saves you time and money, and makes you look really smart.

Business owners who decide to outsource their content often initially wonder if it’s worth the money they’ll spend. Or they wonder if the ghost writer will be able to produce the articles they need. By keeping these points in mind, you’ll be on your way to building a positive relationship with the writing professional you hire.

Are you thinking of outsourcing your 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 article and press release marketing needs.

Want to learn more about Roxy and Smokey? You’ll find that here

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

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.

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.