Attracting Ideal Clients

Article Marketing Tips to Attract your Ideal Clients

People often ask me what is a good strategy to position them as an expert online.

There are many strategies that will do this. One of the fastest and easiest is to simply write an article.

An article is about 400 to 600 words. You should focus on one topic and keep it simple. I like to add a numbered series of tips.

Be sure you include a byline at the end of your article.

Here are are 3 tips to leverage your articles:

1) Post your article on Article Directories

One of the best article directories is ezinearticles.com.

You can set up a free account and then submit your first article.

2) Post your article on your blog

You may want to change the content when you post your article on your blog.

Article directories don't like it when you submit articles that are being used elsewhere. So, change the title and alter the content.

There is no need to include your byline if you are posting the article on your own blog. If you publish someone else's article from ezinearticles.com, you have to include the byline.

3) Share your article on social media

After you post your article, be sure to post a message on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media sites to invite other people to read your article.

Want an extra incentive to write articles?

Participate in my Article Writing Contest.

Click here for details on my Article Writing Contest  

 

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing & Social Media Expert

Educate First Before Selling

I love sales and marketing. It’s one of my passions in life. And I love sharing ideas with people to provide an opportunity to experience a transformation that can improve their results.

I learned an idea from my mentor Eric Lofholm a few years ago that sums up this sentiment. He said educate first before selling. It’s an interesting concept. Education provides the chance to share something that can have impact on someone’s life.

Earning a sale becomes an extension of the education process. The question for you is what can you do to educate prospects? This is not rocket science.

Position Yourself As An Expert

This conversation becomes easier if you have positioned yourself an expert. As an expert, part of your role is to educate people. Let’s face it, people love experts. And as an expert, you have the ability to influence people.

What steps can you take to educate people? Take action now to start the process.

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing Expert

Build a Community Online

Social media allows you to create a community online. Position yourself as an expert and you will attract people to you. People are drawn to experts. They seek knowledge and enlightenment. They want answers. And they’re excited to be around people who are up to big things.

There are several ways to build a community online. The most popular method these days is simply to use social media. There are so many websites where you can connect with people. Just remember people didn’t come there just to connect with you. They have other friends and interests. So, if they show interest in you, don’t take it for granted.

Another great tool for building a community is a blog. Your blog can showcase your talents. People can leave comments on your blog. Be sure to respond back.

3 Tips to Build a Community Online:

1) Provide Value

People will join your community and stay in touch if they think you offer something of value. So, don’t disappoint them. Share information, tips and resources. You have specialized knowledge that people want.

And, be sure that you provide value consistently over time. It’s easy to get on a creative run from time to time. It’s tough to create and provide a high level of quality content week after week. And yet, this is exactly what you need to do.

2) Communicate

It seems like a cliche, but to maintain an audience, you need to communicate with them. When someone posts something on your Facebook wall or clicks the Like button, be sure to pay attention and respond back. If someone tweets you, tweet back.

If someone sends you an email message, reply back. If they call you, then call back. It’s important to respond in kind. There was a reason they chose that medium to communicate with you. People want dialogue. And they like to see that you’re a real person.

3) Recognize and Acknowledge

People want to feel important. Even though you’re the expert, you need to take time out to acknowledge others. People like people who like them. They will be much more likely to come back and interact with you if you show interest in them.

Take a few minutes to think about your community. How many people are in your community?

Why not set some goals for your community. Set a goal for the number of people you want to reach through your community.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

-What are you doing to connect and develop relationships with people in your community?

-What events can you hold to attract members to your community?

-What can you offer people to encourage them to remain in your community?

Building a community can be a valuable activity. It can help you grow your business. And you can even monetize your community by launching a membership website. What a novel idea.

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing Expert

Capitalize on your Knowledge

What are you doing to leverage the knowledge you have to grow your business? You have a unique skill set and information that other people want to know. Are you really using that information strategically?

There are many ways that you can use the information in your head to communicate and educate clients and prospects.

Here are 3 methods to share information that will provide value.

1. Post to a Blog

One of the best tools to create a name for yourself and begin to build an audience is through a blog. Many people like to read information on blogs, and they're a great tool to generate organic traffic on the internet.

The technology can be overwhelming at first. There’s a lot to learn. The good news is that you can find people to help you. Just set a goal to start a blog and start taking action.

2. Write an article

Articles are extremely versatile. You can post them on sites like EzineArticles.com. You can also include articles in your own email newsletter, or even print an article to hand out.

Keep your articles to about 400 to 600 words. Make them simple and easy to read. People have limited time, so get to the point. Pick a topic that people will be interested in.

3. Write a Special Report

At some point, you will realize that you need a resource to offer as a lead generation tool. One of the best resources you can create that will have value is a special report. Typically about 8-15 pages, it's a short document that focuses on solving a problem or communicating information that your ideal clients want to learn.

Repurpose your Content

An interesting point to consider is that you can take the content from a special report and break it into 5-7 articles. You can repurpose content to leverage it in numerous ways.

Writing is a learned skill. You can improve your ability to write. It takes practice.

Commit to write something every week. Produce something and share it with others. This will build your self-confidence and encourage you to write more in the future.

Rick Cooper
Marketng Coach

Find More Clients on the Internet

One of the common challenges facing most businesses, and particularly professional services businesses, is to find clients. A cost effective and simple strategy you can use to find clients is to leverage the power of the internet.

What is the most effective way you have found so far to get clients? Select this one strategy and optimize it. Think about the process end to end and look for ways to improve your results.

So, how do you find clients on the internet? There are literally thousands of different strategies you can implement.

Let’s consider 3 simple strategies you can quickly and easily start with.

1. Social Media

Are you using social media effectively to attract clients? Many people spend hours of time each day on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Yet, are they actually getting a return on the investment of their time?

Be careful not to abuse this powerful medium though. Some people are too aggressive in promoting their business and run the risk of having their account shut down.

Send People to an Opt In Page

Follow the rules on sites likes Facebook. Look for simple ways to communicate one on one. Take time to build rapport. Then, use a simple, but effective lead generation strategy to send people to an opt in page.

In fact, it’s a good idea to create a web page that welcomes people from the site. Speak to people one on one, but acknowledge them as part of an audience.

2. Article Marketing

An article can be a great tool to generate leads. How? By including a call to action in the byline along with a URL or web page link.

At the end of an article, include a brief byline that explains your expertise, the company you work for and mentions a specific free resource that is available to them. Then, include the link.

3. Landing Page

One of the most effective strategies to generate leads on the internet is the use of a landing page, or squeeze page. This is a standalone web page with the sole purpose of capturing contact information.

Of course, you have to give people a reason to opt in. You need to provide something of value. Offer them a free resource like a special report, ebook or audio program.

The 3 strategies I have shared here can be used in multiple ways and in combination to attract clients.

What can you do this week that will help you attract clients? Take action or at least take the first step in moving forward. You have the ability to attract more clients than you are today. Get started now!

Rick Cooper
Marketng Coach

Grab Attention with a Compelling Headline

Copywriting is an art as much as it is a science. It takes commitment and creativity to craft copy that will engage your reader. You need to know who you're speaking to and what their needs are.

One of the most important elements of any copy is the headline. And whether you are writing a direct mail sales letter or a sales page for a website, you need a great headline to grab the attention of your prospect.

Since the headline is usually the first thing a visitor will read, make sure it compels the visitor to want to read more about your product or service.

A great headline should instantly engage your prospect and get them excited. A poor headline will distract them and make them leave your site.

4 tips to write an effective headline:

• Make sure the headline addresses the problem of your web site visitor.

• Capitalize the first letter of every word in your headline to attract more sales.

• Highlight important words to attract more attention to them.

• Always use a large bold font. Make sure the headline text is larger than any other text on your sales page.

Test and Tweak Your Headlines

It’s amazing how much one single change to a headline can increase your online sales. Always test and tweak your headlines until you are satisfied with the results. Ask for feedback from clients, prospects, mentors and coaches.

Rick Cooper
Marketing Coach

Keys to Create Content for your Blog

One of the challenges most bloggers face is what to write about on their blog.

Internet expert Joel Comm writes about this subject on his blog. In his post, "How to Decide What to Write About," Joel states:

"People are always search for how-to do this or that. Just go to Google and search for "how to" and see how many millions of results are returned. In fact, if the search engines like my blog than I can come up on the first couple pages for the phrase "How to decide what to write about." Wouldn't that be interesting?"

Click here to read the full post

I find it helpful to brainstorm a list of topics. You can even create a mindmap starting with one idea in the center and then adding ideas around it.

Above all, writing on a regular basis takes practice. Find the time to write daily. Use simple language and write with a specific audience in mind.

Good luck and happy writing!

Rick Cooper
Marketing Coach

Attraction Marketing Secrets: Book a Radio Interview

While print media coverage can have a long life, radio interviews can help you communicate a message and develop trust and rapport with a large audience. The media loves people that can communicate a clear message quickly and easily with a little personality.

1. Select your message

To get an interview on the radio, you need to be able to speak clearly and easily and engage your interviewer in a dialogue. Your host is the star of the show and they're in charge. You're the guest and your message is the entertainment. So, be entertaining and stick to your message. Keep your message simple.

2. Script your interview content

If you want to communicate effectively, you need to script your content. That doesn't mean reading from a script during an interview. It does mean learning your content inside and out, backwards and forwards.

Pick up the Phone and Call the Media!

3. Contact the media

You need to be proactive if you want to book an interview on the radio. You're going to have to pick up the phone, call the media and pitch your story to them. Keep your conversations brief and to the point whenever you talk to the media. Find out if they're on deadline and if so, keep it very brief or call back when they have more time.

4. Prepare for your interview

Take time to prepare for your interview. Review your script and role play the interview. Practice until you are comfortable.

Radio interviews are a great way to get publicity, especially if you have a great voice and you can speak with confidence. Practice till perfect and start booking interviews.

Rick Cooper
Marketing Coach

Attraction Marketing Secrets - How to Get Publicity With a Press Release

One of the best attraction marketing strategies available is to get publicity. You can increase your visibility by getting coverage from the media. It’s not an easy task, but if you have a timely message, you can do it.

After you develop a publicity strategy and a plan, the first step to get publicity is to write a press release. This critical document is used by the media to identify trends, locate experts, and select story ideas.

1. Select a message

Getting publicity takes consistent effort and it takes a consistent message. Select a message you will communicate frequently over a period of 3-4 months. Write a series of press releases that focus on different aspects of the message. Make direct contact with the media, pitching your story and offering to be interviewed on the topic.

The press release should not be about your business. It shouldn’t be about you. It should be about a specific group of people. For example, you could write about baby boomers, small business owners or retirees. Your message should appeal to your ideal clients because that is ultimately who you want to reach.

Your press release should be newsworthy and should tap into the theme of hot topics and current trends in the news. It doesn’t have to be related to what you do as a business owner. But, that’s always a plus. Just remember not to promote. You are the expert!

2. Create a compelling title

Just like an article needs a compelling title, so does a press release. Look for examples of press release titles on PRNewswire.com. Don’t look at corporate press releases. In general, their press releases are boring are all about me, me, me. Keep your title simple and focus on the benefits of the message. You want to draw people in with the title.

Make Your Press Release Newsworthy!

3. Craft an informative opening paragraph

Keep your message focused and use the opening paragraph of a press release to communicate the who, what, when where and why. Include your city at the start of the paragraph. You can include a date or leave it off.

Grab the attention of the media and draw them into the press release. Give people a reason to read further. State the problem and explain that there is a solution.

4. Draft the press release

Draft an outline of the content and write the press release. Focus on providing value. If you want to get the media’s attention use the press release to provide tips and strategies that will be meaningful to an audience the media is trying to reach.

One of the strategies you can use in communicating with the media is to share 3 tips or strategies. If you have the opportunity to be interviewed by the media, you can’t ramble on, you need to be very focused.

Most people have a difficult time communicating a clear, consistent message. They’re all over the place. If this sounds like you, you need to invest some time in boiling your message down to its basics.

5. Quote yourself as an expert

One of the differences between an article and a press release is the opportunity to position yourself as an expert in a press release. Quote yourself in the press release 2-3 times. For example, “According to Rick Cooper, The Attraction Marketing Expert, “A press release can help you book an interview on radio or TV or be quoted in print media.””

Use words like “according to, says, said, indicates, states, stated, and shared. It might be uncomfortable in the beginning to write about yourself in the third person. Imagine someone else is writing the article for you. Do not list yourself as the media contact. Use someone else’s name.

A press release is a great tool to help you craft a compelling message for your publicity campaign. Post your press release on the internet, send it by email and include it in packages to the media. With consistent effort, you will get visibility and ultimately publicity. Read Guerrilla Publicity by Jill Lublin and Rick Frishman. Be persistent and seek out additional resources to help you learn how to get publicity.

Rick Cooper
Marketing Coach

5 Tips to Get More Speaking Engagements

Experts gets more clients! You can use public speaking to increase your visibility. You may also have the opportunity to generate leads or sell products.

Public speaking is a great way to find clients. When you stand at the front of the room, people will perceive you as an expert.

So, where can you go to speak?

Here are 5 tips to get more speaking engagements:

1. Service organizations

Call your local Kiwanis or Rotary club. They are always looking for speakers. Also, check out Meetup groups including Successful Thinkers.

2. Professional associations

There are many great professional associations for specific industries or careers. Make a list of associations and ask for referrals. Check out their local website and look for the Program Director. Network with other professional speakers. I attend the Sacramento Speakers Network. Look for a group in your local area or start your own Meetup group. After you deliver a speech, refer other speakers to them.

3. Companies

Do you have a topic that would interest sales professionals? Call the sales manager or owner of a small to medium size business to book a free local talk. Offer to speak for 30 to 45 minutes at their weekly meeting.Make the talk motivational, as well as providing ideas they can implement.

4. Conferences and Events

There are a lot of events that feature speakers. Many conference organizers hire professional speakers so they know they are getting a good speaker. There are also a lot of smaller events that feature unpaid speakers. Keep an eye out for local events. Connect with your local chamber of commerce and look for flyers for upcoming events.

5. Host your own event

This one is the most challenging to pull off. You need to book a venue or find a place to host the event free. You need to market and promote the event. You need to make confirmation calls. And you need to arrive before and stay after the event. There are also decisions about whether you will serve food, allow time for networking, and how to handle registration. Other than that, it's a great strategy.

Public speaking is one of the most powerful ways to grow your business. You will literally have people beating down your door wanting to talk with you because you have the answers.

Make sure you take the time to develop your speaking content. Write a script, memorize it and practice. Practice, practice, practice. Get clear about your goals for the speech.

One word of caution, be sure to get approval in advance before you attempt to generate leads or sell products during a speech. Many associations have strict rules against selling. Learn what you can in advance about their rules. Then, make a specific request. If they say yes, then you're good to go.

You are an expert! Now, get out there and speak!

Rick Cooper
Marketing Coach

Join me for a Free Teleseminar:

How to Position Yourself as an Expert

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