Tag Archives | Marketing

Valuable Newsletter Content – Don’t Miss Out

By on October 17, 2011 in Tools

Introducing the Productive Life Newsletter

I have received many requests for periodic updates. Many of you said you’d like to “Stay in the loop” with what’s happening at Productive Life Concepts.

So I’m giving you just that in a newsletter that’s delivered right to your inbox!

This isn’t one of those annoying newsletters that clog your inbox every day and repeat word-for-word what you’ve already read on the blog. The Productive Life newsletter will only grace your inbox once or twice a month and while it may contain highlights of popular posts, it will always contain tips, tools or the latest information on programs and what’s in the pipeline.

In upcoming weeks, not only will you get exclusive-to-the-newsletter content that focuses on how to take your next step, you’ll also receive the first look and discounts on a variety of products I’m preparing to launch, including new workshops, eBooks and discounts on coaching programs.

Best of all, it’s super simple to subscribe.

Just click here add your email and your done!

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How Investing in Your Yourself Can Improve Your Career or Business

By on September 7, 2010 in Success

When the children start back to school it is a good time to think about what areas we need to learn more in. Do we have skills we need to brush up? Is there a class we want to take? Are there any training courses that would benefit us? Learning is a lifelong process that is never finished. If we want to hold on to our competitive advantage and stay at the top of our field then we must constantly invest in ourselves. We are our best and more useful asset, especially if we are small business owners, entrepreneurs, professionals or high level executives. Or if we’d like to have any one of those job descriptions.

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study.  Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. ~Henry L. Doherty

So, where do you start? Think about what skill or area of expertise you would like to improve your proficiency in. Don’t limit yourself to the field you work in or the specific job you do currently. You might want to be a better public speaker or improve you typing because you’re sick to death of using the “hunt and peck” method of typing your proposals and memos. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn Italian or desire to learn new management methods. Whatever the skill may be, both you and your company will benefit. More knowledge is always an asset.

The first step is to decide what you want to focus on:

  • Do you need to go back and finish your college degree? Choose one class or enroll full-time.
  • Do you need to learn a new skill to advance to the next level? Management, leadership, HR might be good choices.
  • How are your communication skills? Take a public speaking class or join a group like Toastmasters. Take a writing course or one on advanced Microsoft Word techniques.
  • Speaking of Microsoft, how about a course on Excel or PowerPoint?
  • Is there a seminar for ongoing training in your profession that you’d benefit from?
  • How about a new skill? Marketing, Social Media or record-keeping?
  • Do you need to get better at managing your finances? Even if you have accountants and financial managers, you still need to have an understanding of what is going on financially in your business.
  • Almost everybody could use a refresher on office skills, no matter what level you are at. A course on organizational skills maybe or learning to use dictation software for faster writing.

The possibilities are endless. You are you most valuable tool. Investing in yourself will almost invariably have the highest rate of return.

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Create Your Own Network

By on July 29, 2010 in Success

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want or what you need! Chances are good that you will get it and you might just help someone else out in the process.

My quick story: My regular readers know that my husband is deployed to the Middle East; that’s just background information. Last week I received an email from our local family services coordinator at the base that went out to all of the spouses/partners of the deployed service members. It’s great that we have communication from the base, but what was lacking was a community of support for the wives. No support network existed, so I suggested to the base that we start one, offered my assistance and they agreed.  Now we have our own network; a private Facebook group where we can share thoughts, concerns and ask for help from one another. We are growing quickly and are slowly developing a broader reach and a valuable connection. Who knows what may come of this; parenting help, career assistance, sharing of skills, mentoring and of course friendship.

Another result of this project was that I decided that more sharing of information and support was needed by military spouses as a whole and knew that I could fill that need. So, out of this experience came not only a new support network, but a new website – GuardWife.com – and a book on deployment from the family’s perspective is in progress.

Lessons learned:

  • Speak up and ask for what you want!
  • Chances are good that someone else needs the same resource that you are looking for.
  • If the network doesn’t exist; create it yourself.
  • If you find a need out there that is not being met; FILL IT!

You may be able to make money from your innovations and ideas or maybe not. You never know where they will lead you. The important thing is that your need will be filled and you will most likely have added to your network and helped others along the way.

If you want to read more on stepping outside your comfort zone, read Key Questions: What Are Your Limitations?

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It’s About the Experience

By on March 16, 2010 in Success

Focus your marketing efforts on creating an experience. This does two things.

First, it creates a buzz around your brand for your customers to share. We all know that word of mouth is the most powerful marketing method available, but how often do you actually give people something to talk about?

Creating an experience or feeling also helps build a sense of relationship with your brand and gives customers a reason to keep coming back. People want to feel a certain way and if you associate your brand with what they’re looking for, they’ll respond to that.

How do you go about creating experiences?

  • Appeal to a customer’s emotions.
  • Make interactions as personal as possible.
  • Cultivate and promote the values that YOU stand for.
  • Be interesting, thought-provoking or noteworthy in some manner.
  • Identify what’s important to your customer and find a way to connect that to your brand.
  • Find techniques to become part of your customer’s daily life.
  • Give customers a take-away, even if it’s just a smile.

You recognize you want your customers to talk about you, but…what do you want them to say? What steps have you taken to build experience-making into your marketing approach? Is it reflected in the way you conduct business?

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haro

Free Publicity – Really?

By on March 15, 2010 in Success

haroEver heard of HARO – Help-A-Reporter-Out?

This website has been highly recommended in marketing and business circles, but I had never taken the time to check it out until recently. It is a portal where nearly 30,000 reporters from many of the major television news networks, prominent newspapers and magazines connect with sources for their articles and stories; even book research.

You can be one of those sources. It’s really very simple. You just sign up for one or multiple daily communication lists. They are listed by category; Business and finance, Lifestyle & Fitness, Education, Entertainment, Technology, Travel, etc. , as well as a general list that hits the highlights of them all.

The lists are sent out either once or twice per day and you can unsubscribe at any time if you find a particular list does not appeal to your area of interest or expertise. If there is a query you have some knowledge about, you simply click the link and send a short email to the reporter (not named) answering whatever the question is. If you are the kind of source they are looking for, they may use you in their article, TV interview, news story or book.

It’s free publicity for you or your company if you are selected and if not, you should only have lost a few minutes of your time. Don’t spend hours on this trying to answer every question you remotely know anything about. Just scan the list in your email inbox and delete it if nothing applies. If you see a query that is a fit, send a quick note and then delete it. Do not clog your inbox with these emails or save them for later. There will be more tomorrow!

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