Marketing Your Business – Tips from Snowball PR

Ever since I started my business one of the most daunting tasks has been Marketing and PR. There is so much to be said about this aspect of your business. I thought a series of posts on this topic would be of interest to many of you who are running your own business or thinking about doing so soon.

I was and still am one of those people who believe no one can do a better job than you when it comes to promoting your business. You are the person behind the story and who better than you can tell that story? However, many of us find it hard to put ourselves out there. And if we do, we struggle with the unknown – who’s reading my blog? how are they perceiving me? are they connecting with me? do they care?  – the list goes on…According to Jamie Mazursky of Snowball PR, marketing is an extension of yourself and being that, it takes you out of your comfort zone. But this can all be wonderful for you as a  person and your growing business.

I recently decided to hire Jamie as my personal publicist. The decision wasn’t an easy one – many ‘what if’-s were involved – but boy am I happy I went ahead with it! For those who know me, you can tell how passionate I am about what I do. You also know how hard I work at it – all.the.time. I came to a crossroad a while back. I had to make a decision to either grow my business or keep doing what I do at the rate that I am doing it and see where this takes me. I chose the first route.

For all of you who are ready to focus on marketing your business, perhaps the following ideas- Jamie so kindly is sharing with us – will be of use.

Identify your goals :: What are your intentions with marketing efforts? What do you want to achieve? And, what are the best vehicles to do so? Yes, there are so many new ways to market. Just make sure you are using the most appropriate methods for your specific needs.

Be a good listener :: Spend some time looking at other blogs, social networking pages and websites. See what’s out there and monitor the chatter. It should give you a good idea of what others are doing, where you fit in and how you can differentiate your business.

Be useful and build loyalty :: Think of this as a great opportunity to share your expertise and your wisdom. Remember you are, in essence an expert in your field. Helping others will come back to you to two-fold.

Be professional :: It is okay and even encouraged to show a bit of your personality. However, be appropriate and professional, this is still business. First impressions and reputations still apply online.

Self-promotion with a slant :: It is suitable to use these new mediums as a platform to promote and gain sales, but make sure it’s not ‘all about you.’ That can be an immediate turn off. Be relevant and be of value.

Build community :: Encourage interaction between you and your readers. This back and forth will build a positive image for you business and encourage customer loyalty.

Keep it fresh and integrate your efforts :: Two thoughts here, first, keep your content pertinent; and second make sure all of your efforts are working in harmony.  Everything should link together (your blog, website, email campaigns, etc) and you message should be streamlined and consistent to get maximum exposure and results.

I am more than happy to answer questions and always welcome comments. Please feel free to pay this forward. Finally, take a look good, hard look in the mirror and leap out of your ‘zone.’ Good Luck!

 Thank you, Jamie for sharing these tips with us. We can certainly use them when building a marketing plan.