The Marketing Mentor Podcast

When it comes to taking the next step in marketing, Colleen realizes that a common pitfall is the idea that you'll never totally be ready. Accordingly, you might as well just get going! If you're never quite ready, then what does it matter? Marketing yourself is a work in progress. What's the next step that you're not quite "ready" for? Colleen says, just do it. Listen in for a few ideas on taking that next step.

Today Ilise checks in with Jennifer Neal from K9 Design. Has Jennifer's marketing efforts gotten her results this quarter? Listen in to find out.

Colleen is really moving now. And she's offering a different perspective on marketing this week-- Star Wars Marketing. With her unique ability to keep marketing interesting, Colleen has certainly launched her efforts into a new realm this week.

Welcome to Week 13! Start Up followers will turn their newly launched website into promotional materials, Veteran's will use their newly re-launched website to inspire a press release. In this audio clip, Ilise talks about valuable resources that can help you get PR for business, whether you're a Start Up or a Veteran. Check it out...

Every small business owner gets their inspiration and support from somewhere, and in this week's post, Colleen shares where she gets hers from... The systems she has in place to keep herself productive and accountable... The people who keep her on track. Like she says, a good support system really keeps you moving in the right direction.

Are you hiding behind email? Ilise talks about how picking up the phone this week has made a difference in her business, and how it can make a difference in yours. Listen in to see why...

Giving herself permission to put the Grow your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar on hold, Colleen immerses herself in the South by Southwest Conferences this week-- and realizes that conferences are marketing too. Here's what she found out.

This week, it's time to finish your marketing smart website. Also in today's podcast, Ilise answers a question from a client: "We are behind in our research calls because we have been making lots and lots of calls to past and present clients trying to drum up business that way, but so far they are all feeling too poor to invest at this time. How do you stay upbeat when faced with so much rejection?" Listen in for her insight.

This week, Colleen struggles to keep up her lofty goals for 2009 and finds herself slipping. She realizes that the way things are going, it's impossible to maintain all of her committments. The good news is, she finds a solution... She finds ways to be more productive while spending less time doing work. Sounds good, right? Listen in to see how Colleen's insight can help you be more productive.

How can you make sure your website is marketing smart? How can you be more like Google? And how can you use Facebook to better launch your website. Listen to today's audio clip to find out. Ilise has also come up with a Marketing Smart website checklist to help you. If you'd like a copy, email [email protected] with the subject "Marketing Smart Checklist."

This week, Colleen talks about the work in progress that is her website. She also discusses the difficulties of being the (self-proclaimed) world's worst self-promoter. She talks about testimonials-- Are they the plague of the earth, or a useful marketing tool? Listen to this entertaining episode to see how humor helps get her through, and allows her to make further progress in her marketing journey.

Welcome to March! We've been spending a lot of time on our web presence. Today, Ilise talks about how to get the most useful feedback on your site. Who should you ask? What should you ask? Listen in to find out...

Goals, goals, goals! Ilise gets personal and talks about her goals and how she's doing with them. Listen in to find out. How far have you come towards your monthly goal for February? The good news is, March is just around the corner-- a new month, a new chance to pinpoint a goal and work towards it.

She's a self-proclaimed militant fanatic-maniac when it comes to newsletters. This week, Colleen is rocking and rolling-- getting her newsletter archives in order and completing other web marketing tasks. How are you doing with your marketing efforts?

We're into week 8 and making some serious progress! Great job! This week, it's time to wrap up your online presence. Listen in for some guidance and inspiration.

Ah, the age old question... Blog or newsletter-- which one should you have for your business? Ilise discusses the pro's and con's, and helps you decide what's right for you.

Following the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar has inspired Colleen to get some longstanding goals checked off her list. She's pulled together her "hire me" page, created a landing page for acting related sites, and created a contact form page! Looks like the marketing calendar sparked some excellent progress!

Welcome to week 7! Do your clients ever ask for more information about exactly what you do? A case study is the perfect way to tell them. Here is the format that Bending Design uses for their case studies-Project, challenge, solution, results, testimonial from the client. Check it out!

Want to see what a good links page looks like? Check them out here! Ilise talks about each page, and tells us why they're excellent. If you're working on a resource page-- these are sure to help. Karen Zapp, Fundraising Copywriter: www.pkscribe.com Joan Damico, Integrated Marcom Copywriter: www.jdamico.netAnn Gallops, Feng Shui Expert: www.theorganizedlife.netBob Bly, B2B Copywriter: www.bly.com And of course, the Marketing Mentor Resources page.

Want to demonstrate your expertise and help people at the same time? Then it's time to make a resource page on your website! This week, Colleen talks about sharing information wisely via her resource page, and rounding up her past newsletters into one place.

Do you have a website? If not, it's time to get started on making one. If you do, it's time to refresh your content and develop a resource or links page. This week, Ilise talks about how to develop a resource page or links page that supports your positioning.

Have you ever had trouble putting what you do into words? This week, Colleen shares a three-step tool that will help you write a powerful bios for your social networking profiles. It's a simple tool, but it will help with writing any bio you'll need in your marketing endeavors!

One of the best ways to get new clients-- is to have them read (or hear) the wonderful things that other's have said about working with you. In this audio clip, Ilise talks about how to get (and give) endorsements or recommendations on LinkedIn.

Did you meet your goals for January? If not, take a few minutes today to create your goals for February. The focus for February is developing your online presence with social networking sites like Biznik.com, LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com, Twitter.com. These sites can be used very effectively for marketing, but remember to be professional. If you have profiles on other social networking sites, please send them to Ilise. Thanks!

This week, Colleen isn't sharing demos or how-tos, but a cautionary tale about what not to do. Remember, it's important to do one task at a time and not to get overwhelmed. Colleen stresses the importance of measuring success by small I did-its! She also talks about taking care of yourself, and adjusting the marketing plan so it becomes more personalized, and more realistic, for you.

Today, Ilise interviews Jennifer Neal from K9 Design. Jennifer reveals the tools that make up her "Marketing Machine" and descibes exactly how she uses them and fits them into her weekly schedule. This will be a great help for anyone who is trying to work out the logistics of thier marketing efforts. Listen in, and find out how to make your own marketing machine work for you.

This week, Colleen tackles unchartered terrian with her very first cold call ever. Was it as bad as she'd imagined? Listen in to find out! You will also find some excellent tips on how to make cold calls a success.

Check out this free consultation Ilise had with Dennis G. Dennis is a designer in Indiana who generously agreed to let Ilise tape the phone consultation they had last week. They talked a lot about how he can leverage what he does know as he enters new markets. Here's what else he wanted to know: -What if I have never focused on marketing? Can I start with nothing?-How do I brave a new industry (when I'm not experienced)?-How do I know if the market I've chosen is the "right" market?-Isn't it expensive to join lots of trade associations?-How do I navigate the ups & downs? If Dennis' questions sounds like questions you have, take a listen and see what you can learn. You can also take advantage of your own free half hour phone consultation with Ilise by clicking here.

How are you doing at the end of two weeks? Is your target market clear, or mushy? Have you found a list you can work with, events you can attend, or places you can interact with your prospects? Listen in for some inspiration from Ilise.

Colleen, aka the communicatrix, will be straight with you- she hates cold calls. Here, she talks about how she's putting aside her hatred and getting ok with idea of calling someone. Keeping it low key, being prepared, and the hamburger theory, can help you get your head around the idea. Listen in, and follow along. Remember, you're not doing htis alone, you've got Colleen as your guide.

Are you still listening? Good job! It's important that you don't give up. Just a few minutes each day can make a big difference in the long run. Listen in today for some more guidance and inspiration.

Marketing doesn't have to be overwhelming. Today, Ilise deals with not getting overwhelmed, and answers a few questions about trade associations. Thanks for following along, and keep up the good work!

Things are really moving now-- it's time to get a list together of actual prospects! Listen in, and for your reference, here are the links Ilise talks about in this podcast. YPulse Mashup (conference for marketing to youth that provides a list of attendees)Massachusetts Surgical Centers (web site that provides all contact info)

After a successful week 1, we're on to week 2! Today it's time to look more closely at the trade associations you've found. What kind of contact information can you find? P.S. We've compiled a list of all the trade associations you've sent in just in case you need help.

Marketing Mentor's Colleen Wainwright, aka communicatrix, begins her 52-week marketing endeavor with the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar (Veteran's version) as her guide. She talks about Week 1's challenge, wrangling your contacts into a database, and gives you all the specifics you'll need to do the same. If you're following the Veteran's calendar, or you're an experienced marketer setting out on your 2009 marketing plan, Colleen will get down to the nitty-gritty and give you the support you need. Join Colleen as she embarks on this marketing journey!

You've found some trade associations for the markets you're interested in-- now what? Now it's time to find out which ones will make your marketing easiest. Listen in to find out how, and by the end of today you should be able to pinpoint your market! You're doing great-- and we look forward to continuing this journey next week.

Today you will take your list of 3 possible markets and figure out which market will be the most viable for you. It's important that the market you choose needs you, realizes that they need you--and is willing to pay for your services. How can you tell which market is the most viable? Listen today. And don't forget to send your list of markets and trade associations to Ilise, at [email protected].

It's time to identify your market! Every successful business needs a well-oiled marketing machine to keep the prospects coming, and that marketing machine should focus on one market to start with! How do you choose your market? Listen to find out.

How much marketing should you do? Find out in today's tip. Also, today is the day to set some quantifiable goals for the year ahead. And don't forget to send them to Ilise at [email protected] so she can keep track of them. Listen and follow along with today's tip- and your business will be growing in no time.

Week 1, Day 1- It's time to get revved up for a successful year of marketing! Which tools should you use? How can you make sure your pipeline is full this year? The answer is in your marketing plan. Without a plan, the feast or famine syndrome is right around the bend. What if you don't have a plan? We created one for you. It's called the 2009 Grow your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar (www.marketing-mentor-store.com), and following it will help you keep your pipeline full. By working with this plan you will gain new clients, business will grow, make more money, learn and refine tools and strategies to benefit your business for years to come. Join us for daily motivation to help your business grow, whether you're using the Marketing Mentor Plan + Calendar or your own. Here's to a successful 2009!

What does it mean to grow your business? Everybody has a different definition. To some it means moving out of the spare bedroom, to others it means making more money. In Episode 13, we will help you take a detailed look at your business, decide what growth means to you, and determine how to achieve that growth.

You got the job! But it's not time to celebrate just yet. Before you get to work on the project, there is some business to take care of. A contract! Episode 12 will talk you through contracts, why you need one, and what yours should include.

Proposals- documents that detail what you do for a client and under what terms- are essential to the selling process. In Episode 11, we discuss your proposal, and how to make it work as a marketing and sales tool. Join us!

Here's the reality. You are in business, and you can't do business without dealing with money. In Episode 10, we deal with the ever important question, How Do I Talk About Money? You will learn that your prospects don't expect you to work for free and that talking about money is OK. Once you get comfortable with money matters, business success is at your fingertips! Join us...

The fact is, most designers are not charging enough. In this podcast, we cover the nuts and bolts of estimating a project and figuring out how much to charge. One of the most important parts of knowing what to charge is understanding what you're selling. Join us to answer the question, How Much Should I Charge?

There are two aspects to the pricing side of your business: how you deal with your own issues about money, and how you deal with your clients. Episode 8 shows you how to deal with your own money issues. Until your own issues- such as payment terms and policies- are resolved, you can't begin to think about how those issues affect your clients. Remember, the goal of your business isn't just fulfillment, it's PROFIT! Join us...

It's important to be in front of your prospects. If you are, they will be more likely to think of you and send a project your way! In Episode 7, we will discuss the in's and out's of following up, why it's so important, and the benefits you will see when you do it properly and consistently.

One of the biggest obstacles to marketing is not time or money. It's not knowing what to say. In Episode 5, you'll learn about what to say to prospects and clients in all sorts of situations: In person, on the phone, and online.

Podcast episode #5 talks about networking, e-mail marketing, online marketing, cold calling and promotional materials, and discusses which of these marketing tools you should use to get the most benefit to your business.

It's not just corporations that need to brand themselves. Individuals and small businesses need to stand out from the crowd too! Find out how in Chapter 3's podcast, How Do I Present Myself? This chapter deals with the "I" vs. "we" question, naming your business, finding your own personal brand, how to talk about your services, and so much more... Join us.