OSP is a digital platform that sets out to help people get more traffic, leads and sales to their business. They provide customizable landing pages, customizable funnels, lead follow up procedures, training to help grow your business and weekly calls to assist different aspects of an online business.
A large portion of the Online Sales Pro platform is managing your leads. This is an extremely important part of business. I believe every entrepreneur, small business, corporation should have something in place to track and harness their leads in the most effective way possible. Thankfully, in our digital era it is made way more easy for us.
Training can be one of the most important aspects of any new, struggling or established business. If you are new to online marketing it is important to understand the foundation of what it takes to get traffic, leads and sales. And even if you are doing well in business, we should constantly be learning and growing
Thoose from over 500 top quality landing pages. This is probably the biggest portion of their platform and saves a lot of time when building out opt in forms and funnels.
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A catchy motto. That’s what you want. When folks can remember your motto, they are more likely to remember your product or service. Just like Charlie’s – the locals think of him when they hear “Round the Corner Ice Cream.”
The motto becomes an important symbol for your business. Customers have an accurate sense of what you stand for and the value of your business when they hear or read the slogan. Mottos remind employees the purpose of your business and their part in that. To get started, let’s take a look at the elements of a memorable motto.
Easy to Remember
These short and catchy phrases are meant to link the consumer with the product or service. Let’s see how well they work. “Reach out and touch someone.” “Think different.” “Where’s the beef?” Remember any of those? AT&T, Apple, and Wendy’s stake their claim on these short but memorable phrases.
Your motto should stand alone from your logo. Sure, Charlie has included an example of one of the double-scoop cones they serve, but the “round the corner” reference doesn’t need the graphic to seep into your memory. Make your motto catchy. Something creative that will make people remember your business. Keep it simple.
Something in Particular
Think of what makes your company different from others. For instance, maybe your products are unique. Do you have an element or ingredient that makes your products stand out from the rest? Consider focusing on that when designing your motto.
Or, perhaps your uniqueness focuses on your service. For example, do you promise on-time delivery? Maybe you have the lowest prices in town? Perhaps your yard service includes tree top trimming. Your motto should focus on what is unique about the service you offer. In other words, showcase a specific value you offer your customers. Brag a little. Build your motto around that.
It Must Be True
Sure, we can all claim our fame, but it’s not authentic unless we can prove it. The same goes for your business. Best not promise something your product or service cannot deliver. That is to say, it’s essential that no one can quibble with the marketing slogan.
Many start their day with a hot cup of java. Maxwell House coffee. Their claim? That a cup of their coffee is “good to the last drop.” That would be an important detail for coffee drinkers. Their motto makes a promise. Many loyal customers are proof that it’s true.
Our Motto, For Example
So let’s take a look at our motto: Grow Your Sales with Online Sales Pro. This succinct statement says it all. The mission of this software? To grow your sales. The rest of the motto tells you the name of our product. Online Sales Pro (OSP) is a lead generation, marketing automation, and direct selling software tool. That describes how it’s done, but the motto tells potential and current customers why the tool is essential. To grow your sales.
Successful digital marketing depends on communication with your leads and your customers. Someone signs up to learn more? An immediate response is essential. As for you? OSP will send you a push notification to let you know that someone new has signed up. Thanks to that nudge, you will know that you’ve got a new lead. The rest is up to you or your team to contact this potential customer to tell this person more.
So, that’s how Online Sales Pro helps to grow your sales. Use this web and mobile app to make our motto come true for you. Let OSP create leads for your business, so you can grow your sales.
Distractions often keep people from having productive and satisfying days at work. One study, the result of interviews, revealed that most people admit to losing 2 to 3 hours a day, thanks to distractions. Worse yet, another study indicated that no one really starts work until May each year, because the earlier months are lost due to a lack of focus and distractions.
Too often we let a distraction stop what we are doing. We lose time on the task then. Also, getting started up again takes extra time, just to get back to where you were. Some interruptions are legitimate, like a quick consultation with the boss. Others, though, are nowhere near as important as the abandoned task. What can be done about the most common distractions?
Taking Breaks
When you consider that any time taken off task is a break, you’ll realize how many “breaks” people take. Unless you drink nothing at your desk, there will always be a few bathroom breaks throughout the day. Other breaks? A phone call. A private email. A cigarette. A snack or a soda. These are all ways that work is interrupted.
How can this distraction be avoided? Plan your breaks. Give yourself a solid two hours on task and then take a 15-minute breather. Get those distractions all taken care of during that time. By scheduling your distractions, you’ll have better focus and get more done.
Chatting with Co-Workers
This habit is hard to break. On their way to somewhere else, people will stop at your desk for a few minutes. Perhaps they’ve brought a snippet of the latest gossip. Or maybe they want to ask for your opinion of so-and-so’s latest hairdo. No matter the topic, this chat has broken your concentration. Plus, there may be more than one person who frequents your desk.
How can this distraction be avoided? If you have a door, close it. If not, when a person comes by, make a gesture with the palm of your hand and ask if you can talk some time later. Say you are in the thick of something. By discouraging chit-chat, you’ll have better focus and get more done.
Surfing the Net
Perhaps you are looking at an article for work on the Internet. After you’ve skimmed it, you may check out something else, quite unrelated. How is the stock market doing today? Are there any coupons worth printing out for the local grocery store? Is that ‘66 Mustang convertible still for sale?
How can this distraction be avoided? Supervise yourself. You are not being paid to do personal research. Resist the urge to check on this or that. Remind yourself of matters at work that are more pressing. Check things out during a scheduled break. By avoiding this temptation, you’ll have better focus and get more done.
Managing the Kids
Now this is a tough one. Because of the pandemic, many are working from home. If your children know you are in the house, even if someone else is watching over them, you’re bound to be interrupted. It’s quite a challenge to manage their needs and your work requirements.
How can this distraction be avoided? Perhaps you have a relative who can take the reins during your work day. Maybe you and your partner can take turns with the kids, so that you each can get some work completed. Or it might be that you’ll need to do some work in the evenings after everyone else is sound asleep. By getting help with the children, you’ll have better focus and get more done.
Reading Email or Texts
Unless your computer or your phone is muted, you know when someone is reaching out. That tell-tale sound makes your focus slip, and your curiosity may win out. Most of these messages are not time-critical, but somehow our mind tricks us into thinking so. People are not expecting an immediate response or result. Going back and forth from task to message and back again gives you a sense of frenzied busyness.
How can this distraction be avoided? Use that mute option on both your computer and your phone. Set aside time later to catch up on that prattle. Check your email or voice mail only once or twice a day. Take your computer offline, and allow messages to accumulate to be read later. By delaying your responses, you’ll have better focus and get more done.
Sharpening the Focus
When it comes to revenue, interruptions can be costly. You want business to go on as usual without distractions. That may very well be humanly impossible. So what can you do? Use an app that covers for you when you are indisposed. Online Sales Pro (OSP) is just what you need!
This Customer Resource Management (CRM) tool works when you are not. OSP keeps you in touch with your leads and your customers. Someone signs up to learn more? Let OSP send out an immediate response. OSP will then send you a push notification that you’ve got a new lead, and you can plan when you will reach out to that person.
Online Sales Pro helps your business continue even if you may be distracted. Sign up with OSP so that you can take a well-deserved break. Use this web and mobile app to respond to others when you are not available. By doing that, you can make contact when the time is right for you. Let OSP manage your business, so you can better manage your day.
The stress of the pandemic is not only widespread; it’s worldwide. Many wonder what’s up ahead. They worry about family and friends who are in a high-risk category. They’d like to get out and about without wearing a mask and gloves or keeping six feet away. They despair that life will never be normal again.
How can you and your business work through the stress stirred up from the pandemic panic? The answer may surprise you: Sleep.
Without Sleep, Things Can Get Worse
Getting too little sleep – less than 5 to 7 hours a night – actually puts you at risk of dying prematurely. Oddly enough, getting too much sleep – 8 or 9 hours a night – puts you in an even higher risk category. Get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night.
Your body uses the downtime to work on problems in your system. By shortening those repair times, your health is compromised. Often one health issue and another get compounded, and you’ll experience the domino effect. Sleep on it through the Pandemic to stay healthy.
Without Sleep, You May Eat Too Much
Some may argue that the longer you stay up at night, the more calories you burn. Sounds good in theory, but actually, the reverse is true. Your body needs more energy the longer you stay up. That’s why when the candle is burning late at night, there’s often the need for a midnight snack.
When left to run for itself, your body is a fine-tuned system. It sends out signals to us, but we’ve got to pay close attention. A yawn or two? Call it a night. Tempted to go into the pantry long after dinner? Go to sleep instead. Sleep on it throughout the Pandemic to avoid eating more than you need.
Without Sleep, You Could Start Forgetting
Avoid the sleep habits that inventor Thomas Edison had. He scoffed at anyone sleeping more than 3 or 4 hours a night. He would take 1 or 2 short naps throughout the day, but he certainly didn’t get the recommended amount of sleep.
One of the most important functions of sleep is a housecleaning of sorts. During the first stage of sleep when you drift in and out of wakefulness, thoughts of the previous day float around. Your sleeping mind sweeps out the unimportant details and tucks the other ones in various hollows carved into your memory. It’s so frustrating to forget something important. Sleep on it throughout the Pandemic to remember the details.
With Sleep, You Can Turn This Thing Around
As we’ve seen here, sleep deprivation can make things worse. We need to be as healthy as we can be during these challenging times. Build good sleep habits by setting a consistent time for rising and retiring. Exercise regularly to help you fall asleep at night, and avoid caffeine too late in the day.
Use some stress-relieving activities to help with any anxiety you may have. Write in a journal. Practice yoga. Take long walks. And most of all, get 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night.
What About the Health of Your Business During the Pandemic?
Now don’t sleep on that! You certainly don’t want to be asleep on the job! So, with an adequate amount of sleep for yourself and a definite plan for the day, you can be productive and run your business profitably during the pandemic. Many successful businesses have discovered an app that helps during the day – but also keeps right on working when they are fast asleep at night. Online Sales Pro (OSP) is just what you need!
This Customer Resource Management (CRM) tool can keep you in touch with your leads and your current customers. As soon as someone expresses interest in your product or service, don’t snooze! OSP will send you push notifications to contact them or to send them more information. Keep in touch with them beyond the sales transaction. Successful sales are built on relationships.
So, give OSP a try and join the ranks of the successful. Use this web and mobile app to boost your business through these stressful times. We will help you get there so that you can get a good night’s sleep.
Those who are successful have learned lessons along the way. What does success mean to you? Does it mean going from zero to 60 in 3.1 seconds with a top speed of over 200 miles per hour? Would it mean having a house here and a house there and vacation spots in-between? Or perhaps it means never having to balance your checking account?
However you envision success, there are lessons that have been learned by those who have achieved it. We’ll borrow from the lessons they’ve shared so you can join their ranks more quickly and more easily.
Lesson #1: Listen to YOU
There’s always a reason NOT to do something. Too often others will agree, reminding you of this or that, discouraging you to try anything new. Instead, listen to your voice. What is your heart’s passion? Because of that, what is it you would like to do? Those who are successful tap into something they love to do and turn it from an avocation to a vocation. Instead of pursuing it in their spare time, they turn it into a full-time career.
Resist telling nay-sayers about your plans. As a result, they may sabotage your passion and enthusiasm. Discuss what you would like to do with a trusted coach or companion and ask for frank feedback. Pay attention to what you are thinking when you are listening. When it comes right down to it, though, hear what your inner voice is saying after the rest is said and done. Listen to YOU.
Lesson #2: Be There NOW
Too often on the way to success, folks are living in the future. When I have this….when I have done that. Instead, live fully in the present moment. Now is what you’ve got. Focus on the present tense.
It’s fine to make plans, and part of success requires that. Even still, to be successful today requires being right here, right now, in this very moment. Appreciate what you’ve got, who you are, and what you have today. Be there NOW.
Lesson #3: Believe It’s TRUE
Even if you’re not there yet, believe you are. So much of your time during your life is anchored to your self-image. What you believe to be true. By being confident in your own endeavors, you will be well on your way. Many testimonies by successful people indicate that even when others were doubtful, they kept a positive outlook. Studies have shown that one has a better chance at success if one believes it is possible.
What you are able to accomplish can be limited if you limit ourselves with negative thoughts. When your life’s pursuit is plagued with doubts and insecurities, it’ll be much more challenging to move forward and better yet, upward. Celebrate every small success and congratulate yourself, knowing that you can do it. Believe it’s TRUE.
Lesson #4: Put Success in ACTION
You want your customers to believe you are successful. Do what successful business people do. Get in touch with customers right from the start. As soon as they show interest in your product or service, send them more information. So much of sales rests on relationships. Build those with your potential clients by letting them know how important they are to you.
Use the tools needed to be successful. One that savvy business folks use is a Customer Resource Management (CRM) tool. How does it work? It’s a tool which helps you stay in close touch with your leads, your current customers, and your sales team. You link your CRM with your Email Service Provider (ESP) and send out messages to them so they find out about sales or events and learn more about your business.
A highly recommended CRM is Online Sales Pro (OSP). You can build a simple page for your business or service in minutes. In addition, get leads from your pages right to your smart phone through the mobile app. Give OSP a try and join the ranks of the successful. At OSP, we share success with you and lessons learned. Put success in ACTION.
Interested in digital marketing? Get ready for a tableside chat with Paul and Shreya. You may have already noticed them. Paul Counts isn’t new to OSP, but now both Counts and Shreya Banerjee have a bigger role in promoting digital marketing through OSP.
Grab a cup of coffee. Sit in a comfortable chair. And let’s find out more about Paul and Shreya during our tableside chat.
Tell Us a Little about Yourselves
Paul keeps busy with three beautiful kids with one of them even being a teenager! He’s a big fan of all things Disney and passionate about the Washington State Cougars. Paul loves working through those initial jitters to speak to both large and small crowds, getting more excited than nervous. Most people put public speaking as their biggest fear, but it’s one of Paul’s favorite things to do.
Shreya admits that she loves to eat much more than she loves to cook. Her ideal scenario? To have someone else make delicious food for her! Perhaps that’s why most of her closest friends are good cooks! She enjoys watching movies and just like Paul, anything Disney.
What Encouraged You to Give Online Marketing a Try?
Paul wasn’t even a teenager yet when he began his career in sales. He became the junior sales rep for a custom screen-printing and embroidery company. Paul was ambitious back then, too, because after a year, he realized he could expand the market beyond his school. Why not reach out to other schools, too? And you guessed it! He used the power of email marketing and selling online. At the age of 12!
Paul convinced the business owner to get a company domain name so that he could send clients attachments of their designs. Not only did he learn how to market the products using the new website, but he discovered what SEO was back in 2000! Once he learned about online marketing, he was hooked! And the rest is history . . .
Shreya felt the draw of online marketing back in college and tried a few things. Nothing jelled, so she took the traditional route of 9 to 5 in an office. She remembered the flexibility of it, though, and when her son was 5, decided that was the way to go.
Not that it isn’t hard work. It is. Most people think it’s not. Shreya says that she works harder than she has in any of her past jobs, but here’s the clincher: it doesn’t seem like work. She loves what she does, plus she can work around her family’s schedule. That sure does make it a win-win. Not only that, Shreya has applied the strategic thinking she learned in college and in her previous jobs and applied all of that to online marketing.
What Do You Like Best about Digital Marketing?
Paul is quick to say that it’s all about time. He’s worked for himself for most of his adult life. Because of that, he’s been able to be there for his kids and their most important moments. Add to that? Paul feels as though every day is a weekend day.
Not only that, but online marketing is never boring. It’s constantly changing and evolving. You have to stay on top of what is new, or you get left behind. After 21 years of marketing online, Paul is even more excited about it now than when he began! How many people can say that about the work they do?
But perhaps more than all of that, Paul loves it that with the proper strategy, you can compete in the majors. That’s right. You can outperform global leaders and brands online with a fraction of the cost, if you just know what you are doing.
Shreya proved her point with an example. Flexibility! As she was being interviewed, she and her son were listening to Disney music while he played with his dragons. Every now and then, the little guy came over to give his mommy a big hug or to show her how powerful his dragons are. Most of her days are like that. Sure, there are times when she’s attending a professional meeting that her son must wear a headset, but most of the time, they are “working” together.
Shreya also appreciates the strategy and business development needed to market online. Success doesn’t mean making a quick buck. It’s about creating a sustaining business. She loves those precious “aha!” moments their clients have when Paul and Shreya lay out the sales funnel. Talk about job satisfaction!
Time to Brag a Bit! Tell Us about Some of Your Successes
Paul celebrates the success of their clients and students, along with their own. They created a new website for a publicly-traded client, making good use of SEO, Pay Per Click (PPC), email marketing, copywriting, and Facebook Ads. The results? A 24% increase in revenue to the tune of $8 million year-over-year growth. Now that’s definitely cause for celebration!
Marketing Counts also has sold over $10 million dollars in information and software products online. They know how to craft and create winning sales funnels that get tremendous conversions.
On the other side of the coin, they’ve also dramatically reduced the money clients spend on advertising. As much as 90%! How? They combine effective copywriting of ads and the proper setup to get more clicks for less money. Money saved is money earned!
Shreya loves working at Marketing Counts because they both understand and appreciate the creative AND the technical side of marketing. Often companies focus on only one side of marketing. Shreya and Paul both emphasize that writing good copy is just as important as setting up your ad a certain way.
What Do You Focus on When Coaching Small- or Medium-sized Businesses?
At Marketing Counts, they focus on what they call their FTE or 3 Pillars Formula. This first pillar is the Foundation (F) of the business which includes the website and landing pages, the content on both of those, and the company’s strategy. The second pillar is Traffic (T) which focuses on getting traffic to the foundation. And the last pillar is Engagement (E) which includes social media and email follow-ups to engage with their audience. Marketing Counts follows this formula with all of their clients.
What are the Most Important Points You Need to Know about Digital Marketing?
Paul will tell you that consistency counts! Somewhere in that comment, he’s playing with his last name, but seriously, consistency is what separates those who have a long-term successful business and those who don’t. For example, if YouTube is your favorite traffic method, then you need to commit to posting often, optimizing your videos, and creating fresh content. The same goes with paid traffic. You need to consistently test and tweak the ads.
The other point is good old-fashioned grit. Running a business is not easy. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Strive not to get discouraged. When sales dip, have the grit to stick it out. Business success is often more about mindset than it is skill. The most important skill, though, is capturing leads. Once you learn how to capture the contact information of your potential customers, that’s all you need to build a sustainable six- or seven-figure business.
Shreya advises that OSP entrepreneurs must keep it simple and follow the FTE formula. Set up a simple landing page for your foundation. Find and master a traffic source where your audience hangs out. Drive all traffic to your foundation. Capture the leads from your landing page and engage with them by either email or a phone call.
Best Tip for Those Just Starting?
Paul realized how important Search Engine Optimization (SEO) was right from the start of his experiences with digital marketing. Paul’s tip? Make your website more visible to grow the quality and quantity of your website’s traffic.
Shreya invested in mentors to help her create a strategy to move forward. Shreya’s tip: Develop a clear plan to move forward, and then execution is the easy part.
And What About Me and My Business?
Excellent question! That’s the entire point of this article. We all want you to be successful! Both Paul and Shreya emphasize the Three Pillar Formula: Foundation, Traffic, and Engagement for successful online marketing. The Online Sales Pro (OSP) software and app allows you to follow the FTE Formula, and it’s super easy to use.
With OSP, you can engage your leads and current customers by linking your Email Service Provider and an email list. Launch a sales campaign. Set up a series of training segments. Inspire or inform your sales team. It’s easy to do all of this with OSP.
Join Paul and Shreya in celebrating digital marketing success! Tap into their experience and expertise by joining the OSP Facebook Group and learn from the best. Use this web and mobile app to build your business. Give OSP a try and see how easy it is!
Public speaking. Addressing an audience. Some people refer to public speaking as a fate worse than death! That’s one thing to be said about digital marketing. You don’t need to address a crowd . . .
Even still, learning how to speak in a clear and engaging manner in front of an audience is a skill that will serve you well in anything you do. What are some ways to improve your public speaking skills?
Focus on the SPEAKER
Do you get jittery before you approach the mike? That’s natural. Actually, you can harness those nerves to give spirit and spunk to your presentation. Even the most polished speakers have some sense of anxiety as they cross the stage to the podium. It’s what they do once they face the audience that makes the difference.
First of all, watch their body language. They walk with confidence. They stand tall. Their faces highlight and emphasize their message.
Next, listen to their voices. For one thing, they speak loud enough for those in the back of the room to hear. They control their breathing to sustain the tone of their voice. They also pay close attention to the pitch, not allowing it to slip into a disastrous monotone.
Lastly, look at the delivery of their talk. They carefully consider the rate of their speech–not too fast and not too slow. Instead of peppering their talk with fillers or empty words such as “you know” and “like” and “um” and “er,” they make good use of pauses throughout. Focus on polished speakers so that you can learn how to become a better speaker.
Focus on the AUDIENCE
Consider the people who will be in your audience. What do they want to learn about the topic? How can you catch their attention right from the start and keep it right to the end of your talk? Boil it down to answer this question: what’s in it for them?
By focusing on them, you can form in your mind a typical audience member. Fashion what you say on who you see. When there’s a mismatch between audience and delivery, your message won’t go far at all.
Remember also that those in your audience want you to succeed. They are there to listen in a static, passive role. Most of the time, they don’t have a chance to speak during a presentation. You can gauge the success of your message by watching their faces for reactions. Pay close attention to that. Adjust as you go along so that there’s a match between your message and their reaction. Focus on your audience to guide you through your speech.
Focus on the PURPOSE
Consider each one of these four methods of public speaking: to entertain, to inform, to persuade, to inspire. What is your goal for facing an audience? Focus on the reason for your presentation to decide on which techniques to use.
For instance, those who entertain must pay close attention to the timing of their delivery. On the other hand, those who inform must pay close attention to the details and description of the topic. Still yet, those who persuade must express their thoughts in a convincing way, aiming for agreement as the end result. Lastly, those who inspire must focus on a blend of all three.
If your purpose is out of focus, the audience will know that several minutes into your talk. Remember that your purpose must match the purpose of your audience. Tell them about what interests them and how it applies. Focus on the method, message, and delivery, so that your purpose is met.
Focus on the RESULT
When you speak to a group of people, your main purpose is to connect with the audience to deliver some sort of message. In this virtual world of business, we don’t necessarily need to address a live audience. We can use software to be the bridge between speaker and audience.
We’ve got a software platform that will serve as that bridge. With Online Sales Pro (OSP), you can address a crowd linking your Email Service Provider and an email list. For example, you can launch a sales campaign or a series of training segments with text and video, or inspirational and informative messages to your sales team.
Use this web and mobile app as your microphone and become a virtual public speaker. There’s no fear in that. In fact, we’ll help you get up and running. We’ve helped many others. Over 70,000 subscribers have used OSP as their microphone to reach their audience. You can do that, too. Give OSP a try and see how easy it is!
Real contact in a virtual world has become today’s reality, thanks to COVID-19. People who once were frequently in each other’s company face-to-face are now reaching out virtually through phone calls, text messages, and email.
How does that work for business relationships? Can we actually have real contact in a now-virtual world? Indeed we can, and here’s how.
Email Marketing
People are more inclined now to read their email. Phoning, texting, and emailing have become more vital connections to the outside world beyond six feet and the wearing of face masks. Because of that, people tend to read their email messages more often and perhaps even more thoroughly.
Now is the prime time to develop relationships with your current customers and new leads through email marketing. Prep your messages so that they become a familiar voice. A way that will ensure that is by speaking as you type, matching your tone and inflection with word choices and punctuation. Your email marketing can be a real contact in this virtual world when it sounds like a real person writing.
Website Content
Most of the population is now confined to quarters in an effort to level out the influence of COVID-19. As a result, websites are getting more traffic. People are exploring more links in a virtual way of getting out of the house.
Now is the prime time to spiff up your website. Refresh its content on a weekly basis. Add new photographs or other graphics. Create and publish blogs about a variety of topics. Encourage a relationship with those who visit by maintaining an active presence, answering questions and sharing tips about your product or service. Your website content can be a real contact in this virtual world when there’s something real that keeps customers coming back.
Online Sales
Business doors are closing. Many are figuring out ways to increase sales via the Internet. For instance, grocery stores are now relying on customers who are using their pickup and delivery services solely to do their weekly shopping. Not as many customers are visiting their stores face-to-face.
Now is the prime time to move as much of your business as feasible to the online environment. When you can make a smooth transition, your business revenue will not be as seriously compromised. Your online sales can be a real contact in this virtual world when your customers can still purchase what they need and want, avoiding social contact.
Virtual Contact
This pandemic has reversed much of what we know. Instead of a computer once providing real contact in a virtual world, now our online devices provide virtual contact in a real world.
We’ve got a software platform that will help you maintain contact and build relationships with your clientele. Online Sales Pro (OSP) includes both a web and mobile app. Here’s how it works. First of all, you grow your email list by generating leads. After that, you market your product or service, writing copy to tell people out there more about your business. Then, lastly, you launch a sales campaign linking OSP and your Email Service Provider (ESP) to keep your customers and leads in-the-know about updates and sales events. Easy-peasy.
Real Contact
If you haven’t created advertising copy before, no worries. We have a team here at OSP that will take care of that for you with Express Setup, creating 8 marketing swipes featuring your business. If you haven’t set up an account with an ESP, we can help you with that, too. Just click on the link to set up an account with AWeber, our preferred Email Service Provider. With OSP and your ESP in tandem, you will boost your business.
Online Sales Pro. Over 70,000 subscribers have used OSP to make real contact in this virtual world of ours. We can help you do that, too.
When a marketing tip doesn’t work for your business, there’s a lesson there. Just like anything else, you often need to take a marketing tip which worked for some other business and customize it.
People mean well. Invariably, when you start your own business, folks come out of the woodwork to give you advice. Things that they have seen. Tactics they took. What is successful with one may lead to failure with another.
Conversely, a tip that didn’t work for someone else’s business may work royally for yours. Most of the time, though, that is not the case. Let’s take a look at some of these business tips.
Tip #1: Quit Your Day Job
Advice-givers may encourage you to sink all your time and effort into your new business. That’s usually not a good idea. Getting a regular paycheck takes some of the fear and anxiety out of your new endeavor.
You’d be in a real bind if the business derailed, and you didn’t have regular income. How can this business tip be more useful?
BETTER TIP #1: Make certain that you DO have quality time to build your business. Once your business has grown, then there’ll be time to make that transition.
Tip #2: Look for Something New
Some may tell you that the market is saturated. Those who started their businesses before you have gotten a head start. You may never get caught up. And on and on their advice will spin gloom and doom prophecies.
Competition can sometimes wreak havoc. It’s true. But perhaps with some study of the customer base, you can come up with a different angle, a different approach. How can this business tip become a lesson?
BETTER TIP #2: Focus on a different part of the product or service to attract other buyers. Use a unique approach.
Tip #3: Do It All Yourself
To save money, some will advise you to do aspects of the business yourself. For instance, instead of seeking the service of an accountant, balance your books and file your taxes. Also, instead of hiring a graphic artist to design your advertising campaigns or a writer to craft your blogs, do it all yourself.
Certainly, you have experience and expertise in some areas. However, you are nervous about going it alone. It’s no wonder. There aren’t many who could. How could we turn this tip around to make it a lesson worth following?
BETTER TIP #3: Plan your budget wisely so that you can seek to pay for services that are not your strengths. Be prudent. As sales increase, employ others.
Tip #4: Have the Cheapest Price
It sounds sensible, doesn’t it? People are natural bargain-shoppers. They want to get more for less. That’s why some will tell you to aim for those customers. Sell your product or service at a cheaper rate to spark their interest and loyalty.
But, isn’t it also true that some customers avoid the bargains. They focus on value. They don’t mind paying more with the thought that they will get more. So, what’s the lesson to be learned here?
BETTER TIP #4: “Cheaper” may cost you more. Pay attention to those who seek quality.
Tip #5: Follow Your Passion
Many coaches and commentators are vehement about this. Follow your dream. Craft a business around that passion of yours. Do what it is that makes you want to work every day.
When you follow your passion, they’ll advise you, success will follow. You can’t go wrong. Maybe not. Rather than focusing on your passion, it may be wiser to focus on your customers. Find out what inspires them and be passionate about that. So, how can we turn that tip around?
BETTER TIP #5: Keep your customers in plain view, taking your cues from them. Reverse it. Create a business that taps into the passion of your customers.
As you have seen, well-meaning folks can give you tips that may push your business off track. Ironically enough, this article will end with a sound business tip. Success is founded on some basic marketing principles, and all of them focus on your customers.
First of all, you need to get customers. Second of all, once you have them, you need to give them what they need. And lastly, you need to keep in touch with them.
A marketing tip that DOES work is to consider Online Sales Pro, a powerful software platform which includes both a web and mobile app.
First of all, you can generate leads and grow your email list. Secondly, your marketing can focus on your product or service and tell them more about it. And lastly, a sales campaign linking OSP and your email service provider (ESP) will keep customers in the know about updates and sales with campaigns and broadcast emails.
Online Sales Pro. Customer Relationship Management. So, that’s a business tip that DOES work. And over 70,000 subscribers can vouch for that!
Building a team to build a business. This company knows about this. Not only that, but they’ve written a book to tell the rest of us how.
37 Signals, a remote software company, focuses on problems. Not on their problems, but on the ones of their clients. Once they have those on the radar, they build products to help businesses remove friction and solve problems.
Initially a web design company, 37 Signals, the creator of Basecamp, switched gears to develop web applications. Let’s take a closer look at lessons learned from their recent book, Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work That Matters. Even though the book is geared for product development teams, any team can learn from what they’ve learned at Basecamp.
Say No
That seems odd, doesn’t it? Actually this tactic is a way to stay focused. Too often businesses will get off track by flirting with a new project. If it seems as though there might be a fit, put it on the table and have folks take a look at it.
After the details have been examined, a decision is made. If it’s NO, then that still may keep a project in the queue. The time is just not right for now. However, if it’s YES, then the team is stuck. Saying YES takes away your freedom in the future and you’ll have to work on it.
Regardless, building a team works when projects have a time limit.
Complete Projects in Six Weeks
Could it be? Don’t most projects take longer than six weeks? Not if you look at a portion of it.
That’s what works. Your focus? The deliverables that can be completed in six weeks. Most people can do anything for six weeks. They don’t lose momentum. They don’t lose their vision. And if things don’t work out on that project and it comes to a standstill? Not much time has been lost. It’s only six weeks.
Regardless, building a team works when everyone focuses on the finish line.
Cool Down In-Between
The world has sped up. Everyone seems to be charging through their days at such a frenetic pace. Long hours lead to long days. People become spent and then overspent. You can shape up the team by having a cool-down period in-between projects.
The project is done and behind you. It’ll soon be time to take on a new one. In-between, though, the team takes a break. Perhaps they’ll compile a list of lessons learned from the project recently completed. Or maybe they’ll do some research to discover more that can be done.
Regardless, building a team works when there’s time to chill between projects.
Stay on Track
Once a team moves toward the finish line, they may be lured away from the main path. Perhaps this would be a nice feature to add. Or maybe we should backtrack and try this instead.
Nope. This focused refresh recharges a team’s battery before they move on to the next project. Those on the team need to sort out the must-haves from the nice-to-haves. That way they’ll stay on track and meet the deadlines.
Regardless, building a team works when everyone focuses on the finish line.
Build Your Business
Think about what your team does and how you can build your business by shaping up. Perhaps one of these lessons learned is the boost you need.
Do you and your team say yes too often? Or do you find that the team works on projects way too long so that they go on and on and on? Might you all rush from one project to another with no break?
Focusing on one of these lessons may help to shape up your processes and maintain your business standards.
There’s another way to shape up your business and build your subscriber base and your sales. Online Sales Pro is a powerful software platform which includes both a web and mobile app. Because of that, you can actually monitor your sales campaigns from your phone!
By building your team, you can build your business. Stop running around in circles and focus on what matters. How? By generating leads and growing your email list with Online Sales Pro, Focus on lessons learned and zoom right past those in the slow lane.
Maintaining standards – not of the poodle type, mind you – is essential for your business to succeed. It’s not simple, since there are several types of standards that may apply to your business.
Companies must uphold standards defined by local, state, or national government or a statutory agency. A business does not have a choice with these since the specifications are enforced by law.
Also, companies may align themselves with proprietary standards developed by a firm or an organization. And then, too, businesses may govern themselves with voluntary standards established through consultation and consensus around the table at an executive meeting. All of these standards establish guidelines for quality, safety, testing, performance, and other business functions.
Pushing other standards aside, a business should also have its own specific standards to govern both internal and external interactions and other details needed to run the company smoothly. That makes good sense. How does one get started in establishing standards for the processes and procedures for a business?
Determine Various Activities
For your business to run smoothly, you and your team must complete various activities. These tasks rarely add to the bottom line and are usually done behind the scenes. Because of that, you will want to complete them efficiently and effectively so your team has more time for sales and marketing.
Once you’ve established a list of these essential activities, nail down the process for each with a detailed procedures document. In this way, you and your team will learn how to complete the tasks in a timely way. Documents like this are useful in training your team or as a resource to review should the task not be tackled often.
Your team will be more independent when a manual spells out what needs to be done. That way you can use the time you used to spend managing the details on other things.
Set Up Benchmarks
When policies and procedures are in written form, whether on paper or in a Google doc, you can emphasize the standards to maintain your business. For instance, customer support agents take care of an issue. Those details are helpful when logged and then applied for future support questions or challenges. Tell your team how to do that.
Create a checklist of standards for this process. Then your team knows exactly what they must do to keep customers happy with their issues resolved and questions answered. Your support team can use the checklist to keep the standards in mind. You can also use the checklist to provide them feedback.
Apply Them Throughout
These standards must be applied throughout the company and reflect your vision for the company. Those in management positions need to exemplify what is expected so that others on the team will follow suit.
Standards should be written in such a way that they are positive and empowering. Too often operating procedures are created as if it is expected that they will not be followed. Instead, aim to inform and retain those on your team rather than to chastise and constrain them.
Allow for Feedback
No matter someone’s title on your team, everyone wants options. People want to make comments about the way things are run so that they have a sense their feedback is important.
Often the procedures completed in the background are essential to the company’s success. Too often the people on the team working on those are not the folks who compiled the tasks step-by-step. By using their comments in revisions of the details, the procedure manual becomes more relevant and valuable.
Discussing the business standards regularly at team meetings will keep everyone in the loop. That way, the folks who are focused on these tasks will be aware of revisions and any process improvements. By giving them an active part in creating the standards, they will be more likely to uphold them.
End Results
By setting your own business standards, you are structuring the company the way you want it. Maintaining these standards help sustain business momentum. Streamlined policies and procedures stamped with gold-star standards increase a pride in working with a stellar team.
Not only that, everything goes more smoothly when all is in place. That way, people can focus on their part in the cogs and wheels of a successful business and get a sense of real accomplishment.
Goal-setting is not just essential for individuals aiming for success; business standards also work for you and those on your team. As you know, success is the aim of any business. Maintaining standards for each of your key business activities supports success throughout the company.
The Next Level
Another way to boost the success of your business is to streamline your marketing processes. A gold-standard way to do that is to use Online Sales Pro to build your subscriber base and your sales.
This powerful software platform includes both a web and mobile app, so you can actually monitor your sales campaigns from your phone! Using OSP takes your business standards to the next level.
OSP is well known for generating leads for its clients – 20 million total leads in all over the past few years! Build your business by growing your email list with Online Sales Pro. In this way, you will be maintaining yet another standard for your business.
Are you using your Email Service Provider (ESP) to the max for your business? Perhaps you use a few features learned along the way. Let’s take a look at all you can do by using your ESP to the max. For the purpose of this blog, we’ll use AWeber as our example.
Sending Email Messages
This may seem obvious. Sure, you can send a message to a business prospect or to a current customer. There’s more to it than that. Did you realize, though, that through an ESP like AWeber, you can add people to a list and send a Broadcast Email to them all? You can schedule such a message so that even though you may have composed it days or weeks before, it can be sent at a particular time on a particular day.
When you set up what is called a Follow-Up Series in AWeber, you can create messages that will be sent out periodically to those on a list. You can even define the number of days in-between each one sent. Business sure would run more smoothly if most people made an automatic decision to purchase your product or service. That’s rarely the case. You can send out periodic email messages automatically. With these, capture their attention and provide more details about your product or service. By doing this, you may very well transform from a prospect to a customer. Using your ESP, you need only create messages one time and then use them to send to different people.
Building a List of Contacts
First create what is called an opt-in or a landing page. By clicking on a link, curious potential customers are taken to a form to provide their contact information. They are then added to a list that you have created for this specific sales campaign. They will now get the series of email messages just like anyone else on that particular list.
The beauty of this process is that you can create several email campaigns with different opt-in pages. Depending on a campaign’s opt-in page, contacts are added to a specific list. Let’s say, for example, that you would like to send out a Broadcast Email to those who are already customers to tell them about a sale you are having. That would be a list you create using an ESP like AWeber. You could call that list Current Customers, for instance. Another list you may create would be for new prospects. You would add them to a list – perhaps called Prospects – and they would receive a Follow Up Series detailing your product or service and the advantages of it. Your ESP keeps track of who is on which list and sends out any email messages you wish them to receive.
Keeping Track of Success
Perhaps you are curious about how many people on a particular list opened the last email message you sent in a Follow Up Series. An ESP like AWeber does that for you. You can see at a glance the number of people who opened the message. You can also see how many of them clicked on a link in that message. For instance, your messages may only have a 15% open rate. That’s wonderful news! If even one of those recipients becomes a customer, your marketing campaign is well worth it.
Obviously businesses out there take that chance. No wonder! Research shows us that people send out more than 150,000 email messages each minute of every day. You can analyze the messages you send. You can figure out why some have a higher open rate than the others. Perhaps it was the first one of the series. Or maybe the subject line was more intriguing than others. These statistics that an ESP like AWeber provides for you can help you assess how things are going with your email sales campaigns.
By using your ESP to the max, you can build your subscriber base and your sales. Another way to maximize the work your ESP can do for you is to link it with a powerful software platform. A subscription to Online Sales Pro includes both the web and the mobile app, allowing you to monitor your campaigns from your phone.
Also, OSP has templates for successful landing pages and training for you to learn how to better manage your online marketing efforts. The team at Online Sales Pro has been helping thousands of online marketers. OSP has successfully generated over 20 million leads for their clients. Boost your potential sales to the max by using your ESP and OSP in tandem!
Don’t have an ESP just yet? Check out a 30 day free trial with AWeber.
These windmills run effectively when there is a constant source of wind, and in that way, this energy device sustains momentum. The same goes for the success of a business – consistent movement forward. What happens after a good month of sales? Does business keep moving along smoothly with continued growth? What can you do to sustain that type of business momentum? Here are some tips from those who have.
1st STEP: ANCHOR
Why are you in business for yourself? The answer may seem obvious to you, but the first essential step for momentum is that you anchor everything you do with your responses to this question. Flesh these out. Come up with 5 reasons why you began the business, why it’s important to you, and why you wish to continue it indefinitely. Next, on a daily basis focus on these reasons. Post them on sticky notes in clear view. Make sure that you think of these reasons every day.
A business is like any relationship you have. To maintain it, you must reflect on all of the reasons why it’s worth your time, your energy, and your resources. By believing in its worth, you will continue to move forward – no matter if you have a light month of transactions, customer support has been busier than usual, or your top salesperson has exited stage left. Sustaining momentum requires reinforcing your reasons.
2nd STEP: FOCUS
In order to remain focused so that your business can sustain momentum, the second step is to set a list of priorities aligned with your business plan. Gather your team or if this is a solo venture, brainstorm the results you plan to achieve by the end of the fiscal year. Work backward from that list to create your priorities with a timeline in mind.
When these priorities are your focus on a daily basis, your list of tasks will move you forward to success. The critical word here is focus. Without that daily recognition and renewal of your priorities, it’s easy to lose traction, to veer off the path, and to get mired in projects that are not supporting those. As a result, when the year’s end comes more quickly than expected, your business has lost momentum. Sustaining momentum requires focusing daily on priorities.
3rd STEP: ORIENT
In order to bring life to those priorities, the third step is to create a task board. List your goals with required tasks under each. Using calendar months as your guide, draw arrows to represent the timeline for each task. Long-term goals may need the entire year for completion. Some goals may be short and only need a few weeks. Be specific.
At the start of the year, every task may seem essential and time-triggered. Move beyond that inclination and prioritize what needs to be done first. Often projects are building block ventures, and those tasks will fall into place consecutively when viewed more objectively. Remember to include maintenance tasks that will support each venture. Those take time, too, so add them to the timeline. Just like nickels and dimes of expenses can add up, so can an hour here and there when those necessary tasks are not included. Sustaining momentum requires planning your time wisely.
4th STEP: REVIEW
A big part of running a successful business is to have periodic reviews. If a task seems to be blocked, do a quick and unplanned review to uncover the reasons. Otherwise, plan monthly or quarterly reviews to measure the status of each task. If there’s proof that one of your windmills has been slowing down, ponder the various possible causes that may be causing that. Agree on a plan to modify this task to get the blades moving again.
Another way to give a boost to momentum, is to review the successes. What tasks have been completed? Where has there been exponential growth? Determine what took place that led to this and plan to duplicate it. Obviously success gives reason for celebration, so take full advantage of that. You and your team will react favorably to recognizing what is working well. Sustaining momentum requires reviewing how things are going.
There’s nothing like seeing a field of windmills spinning quickly in the wind. Your business can have that sort of consistent momentum when these steps are taken and maintained. To increase the wind speed for your business, consider enlarging the scope and targeting an online market.
Online Sales Pro can help you with that. Use this powerful software platform to generate the wind for your windmills with potential customers. Adding those leads to your email list with generate more transactions. Please note that your subscription to OSP includes both the web and mobile app.
Combining the steps above and including the online element with OSP, you can build momentum for your business and sustain it. We are glad to help you with that!
Without a vision for the future, hopes and dreams for your business often do not materialize. Plans need to be made and goals set. Many will sit around the conference table hammering out the details. Some will consider the end result and work backwards from that. Others will go month by month and determine which projects will be their focus in each of them. No matter the technique or strategy, setting goals is the first step in meeting them.
G – Get Started
This often is the toughest step. How can you start a goal-setting session? One way that gives a kick-start to the planning session is to follow this SMART mnemonic:
Specific: If a business goal is too broad, the rest of the letters will not fall into place.
Measurable: Parse the goal into stages, so you see how close to the goal you are.
Attainable: The goal needs to be practical – something that is possible and probable.
Relevant: A goal needs to be aligned with the focus of your business.
Trackable. Keep your eye on the calendar to see how much more time is needed.
Using this method, fill in the blanks. Next to each letter, flesh out the details for your goal. By doing this at the start of your planning session, you’ll find the process more efficient and the details will more easily fall into place. Use a planning tool to begin.
O – Organize Your Priorities
Once you’ve got your goals on the white board, begin to organize them so that it is clear which aspects of them are more urgent. By putting the various details of the goal on a timeline, it’s much easier to see what must be done first to stay on task. Without doing this, the whole process might seem overwhelming with the details getting scrambled and out of order.
By dividing each goal into manageable steps, you’ll find great satisfaction in checking off the various elements once they are completed. With a checklist, you can also keep track of what is next on the docket. In this way, updates on projects related to your goals serve to increase enthusiasm and drive. Use a checklist to organize and monitor progress.
A – Align Your Goals with Your Purpose
Depending on twists and turns in trends in the market which may influence your business goals, you may need to go back and tweak what you’ve planned. To stay motivated, stay on point with the big picture of where your business is headed. If after several weeks of working on one project, you meet a stalemate, figure out what is blocking your progress.
Monthly focus sessions help to tailor goals by updating them based on any circumstances that may have changed. Perhaps one goal has been met earlier than planned so that another goal can be added. Maybe other people on the team can now work on the details of one project since another one is off the list. All of that needs to be aligned on a regular basis to keep goals aligned with your business plan. Refresh the details routinely to keep them current.
L – Look at Your Goals Often
Your goals must remain in your focus. Write down your plan so the steps are visible. That helps you keep on track so that distractions and other opportunities don’t take you off course. When reviewing your goals, note your progress. The key to this step is to watch the timeline and adjust it, should that be necessary. If there is a slow-down, determine why and brainstorm ways to give that more attention.
Keeping your goals in mind helps your efforts to stay on target. Even the most enthusiastic approach needs an occasional boost so have mini-celebrations along the way. Recharge your battery by reflecting on how much has been accomplished. Calendar the events so that at a glance, you can stay focused on your business goals.Seeing progress keeps you on track.
As for a goal to build your business, consider what Online Sales Pro can do to help with that. Take full advantage of this powerful software platform that will turn your online traffic into leads for your business. Regardless of the goals you have for your business, you can use Online Sales Pro to generate leads and build an email list. A subscription with OSP includes both the web and mobile app. As for the results of goals met, the sky’s the limit for your business when you focus on using online marketing to give it the boost it needs. We’re here ready to help you with that!
We bring in a new year with great fanfare, often staying up until midnight arrives and making a big hullabaloo about a fresh start. We make resolutions and vow to keep them. How long do they last? It depends on what we promise ourselves, but often they fade away before the end of January. This whole exercise rarely works. Perhaps to make resolutions WORK, we should focus on WORK. What steps can you take to make resolutions for your business?
Step 1: Reflect on the Past Year
Use this past year as a baseline. Think of what went well throughout the year. Compare those results with the year before. Your resolutions will be best crafted by reflecting on this year fairly and objectively, reviewing the trends and practices. The year’s end is is an ideal time to ask current customers what their experience has been with your business – what they appreciated and how things could be improved.
To reflect on the past year, gather the information you’ll need to give it a thorough review and list any extenuating circumstances (like vacations or office moves). Once you have compiled all of the data, now it’s time to reflect. Resolve to take ample time for a thorough review of the year’s business activities and outcomes.
Step 2: Note What Worked Well
Go through all twelve months and see when business spiked. Reflect on what occurred that might have caused this. Did you run a special sale? Attend an event? Send out a broadcast email? Note these spikes and their apparent causes.
Which of these brought the best results? Is there one particular reason that appeals to you the most? For instance, maybe you attended a business conference in March and had the opportunity to meet with like-minded business owners, learning from their successes and their failures. If so, check to see when conferences will be held in the new year and make plans to attend. Resolve to appreciate all that is going well with your business.
Step 3: Detail What Didn’t Work So Well
Note how the previous step reflected on the positive. It can be disheartening to review what did not work so well if this step is taken before Step 2. Now consider plunges in sales and determine what caused those. Perhaps your sales team was going through a transition. Maybe you weren’t so actively changing your website or interacting with customers. Figure out what happened during those times and make a note of it.
Once you’ve reflected on any dips in revenue, figure out how you could do things differently. Perhaps you could assign certain tasks to your team to ensure that business operations run more smoothly in the next year. Maybe you could spread vacations more evenly throughout the year so that all bases are covered or plan on a two-week holiday period like some businesses do during a traditionally slow time. Resolve to create solutions wherever you see problems.
Step 4: Create the Resolutions
After this assessment of your business to determine what worked well and what needs improvement, find ways to strengthen your business plan. Avoid making your resolutions general in nature. In order to track maintenance of these, your new year’s solutions need to be specific and detailed.
Based on what you have learned because of your review of the year, focus on ways to boost your business in the new year. Often plans go awry when too many plans are made. Look at what went well and factor in three of those to continue doing throughout the new year, and perhaps more robustly. Look at what seemed to lead to poor results and figure out which tactics or techniques could get your business back on track. Resolve to use three of these. In total, you have six resolutions that will serve as essential ingredients to boost your business in the new year. Resolve to track the results of your plans to make the year-end review more helpful.
As for more success in the new year, we have something that could make the new year your best year yet. Online Sales Pro is a powerful software platform that will turn your online traffic into leads for your business. Depending on the resolutions you make for your business, you can use Online Sales Pro to generate leads and build an email list. A subscription with OSP includes both the web and mobile app. Now THAT sounds like an easy way to keep your resolutions for the new year and to grow your business.
Let’s face it. Most people would rather look at colorful pictures that depict information than read through a lot of blah-blah-blah. Many companies provide infographics as part of their content for lead generation, and that tactic has worked well for them.
There needs to be a match, though, so that the preferred customer base will be intrigued by the information presented. Topic, content, and style – all of that matters. Why use an infographic? Here’s why. People are more inclined to remember information when it is delivered in the form of a graphic. Let’s look at the steps to create an infographic.
Sketch It Out First
The design starts with a sketch and a plan. What main points do you want to make? Which type of infographic will work the best with your message? What text do you want to include with the graphic? By planning it first, the rest of creation process will fall into place more quickly.
Remember that most of the message should be captured in the graphic with the text emphasizing various parts of it. Avoid writing too much. Also stray from having too much in the graphic itself. People need to have a good sense of the gist of it with one long glance. Part of your plan should be a one-sentence description of what you plan to illustration.
As for me, my plan was to create a graphic to describe an important decision that I needed to make: What was I going to have for lunch?
Create It Next
Once you have your plan in place, decide which kind of graphics would help you get to the point. Do you want to include a photograph showing a new product? Are you planning to share statistics that showcase how much and how many? Do you need to create a timeline to illustrate the start and finish of a project? Here’s good news! You can find free templates on the Internet that will help you create your graphic in PowerPoint. Easy-peasy.
Once you start the creation of your infographic, have fun with it. Play with the colors in the background. Decide what colors emphasize the text. How large will the text be, and what words will be emphasized – in bold, in color, in italics? Make it easy to read and eye-catching. Remember again to resist the temptation to include too many words. It’s an INFO[rmation] + GRAPHIC – so make the graphic tell most of the story.
As for me, my plan was to create a flowchart to detail how I came to that important decision: what I would have for lunch? I would use green and red to illustrate yes and no and a splash of color to give it eye-appeal.
Then Test It
You’ll want to see how your infographic looks through someone else’s eyes. Email it to see how it looks as an opened attachment. Forward the graphic by text to see how it looks on a smartphone. Post it on your website to see how easy it is to read. Ask others for comments. Ask them questions. How could you tweak it? Make the necessary changes.
As for me, no one in the office was really interested in how I got to my decision about my lunch choices, but they did point to the clock. I better hurry up if I wanted to be included in the lunch order. So, instead, I decided I’d include my infographic at the end of this blog to see what you thought of it.
By the way, as it turned out, I opted for the soup and the pretzel bread – and was that a wise decision!
As for wise decisions, we have something that can take your online marketing up a notch. Online Sales Pro is a powerful software platform that will turn your online traffic into leads for your business. Depending on your business goals, you can use Online Sales Pro to generate leads and build an email list. A subscription with OSP includes both the web and mobile app. Now THAT sounds even better than lunch!
Or . . . I’m on Beach Time. Or . . . I’m retired. Or . . . I’m on break. The clock’s numbers are all in a heap at the bottom of the clock, making it obvious that no one is taking time seriously. Not cool. It doesn’t matter what excuse one uses, being timely is a better way to be. What is it about today’s world? It seems as though we’re always scrambling, always running a tad bit late, or always waiting for someone. What are some tips about having a higher regard for time?
Knowing the Time
First of all, keep track of your appointments and events. When you have several, it’s easy to transpose details. It doesn’t count if you are at the wrong place at the right time, or even at the right place at the wrong time. Not only is it important to focus on the start-time, but also have an end-time in mind. Otherwise, the rest of your day’s activities may be skewed if you stay too long.
A good habit to adopt is to send a quick text to the one or ones joining you to verify that you will be at such-and-such a place at such-and-such a time. That often serves as a reminder to folks of the where and when of it all. Knowing keeps you from running.
Being Ready on Time
Plan ahead. Keep an eye on when you are to arrive and then plan backward. Consider the time of the day. How long will it take to make the drive? A trip that may take 20 minutes when there is little traffic may take twice that during rush hour. Once you have figured out how many minutes you will be in the car, add another five. If you plan it right, you might even be there early.
One habit that keeps many running late is the compulsion to do one more thing before leaving. Even if that task takes just five minutes, that might push you into thicker traffic, so that five minutes lost becomes ten. If you do not have twice the time you need to complete that one last task, don’t bother. Just get in the car for a more leisurely ride. Planning keeps you from running.
Getting There on Time
A cheery hello and a positive start to a meeting or event happens when you’re on time. When you race around trying to beat time, your visit can go south right from the start. For one thing, it’s just plain rude to keep someone waiting, whether the person is family, friend, or business associate. Instead of spending the first few minutes apologizing for your lateness, you can avoid feeling flustered and anxious and just settle in comfortably to whatever you two are doing. Lunch even tastes better when you’re on time to order it. Being on time keeps you from running.
Time really does matter. We are actually defined by time. We set up the days of our lives with routines and practices, and if we are not careful, time can get away from us. That can happen to your potential customers, too. They can get away from you. They need to be contacted on time so their interest in your product or service does not wane.
We’ve got a tool that will help you with that. A potential customer says, “Hey, I’m interested” and fills out the form on your opt-in page. That’s when the clock starts ticking. With Online Sales Pro, you can get in touch right away by setting up an immediate message that is sent out automatically.
By linking OSP with your Email Service Provider, you can send out broadcast messages to your list, update your customers with anything new, or share information about a sales event. You can send leads a follow-up series of messages, letting potential customers know more about your product or service in each one. Space them out every couple of days to pique their interest. OSP helps you to stay in touch with your customers in a timely fashion.
That’s what we do. We help you stay on time. Make full use of what we offer and stay connected with those on your list. Manage your leads with OSP and there’s no “whatever” in your marketing plan!
Do you get the sense that you are going around in circles trying to find leads? You’ve got all sorts of ideas about how to market your product or service. All you need now to make it work is to find the right people! Building a customer base is essential for a business to succeed, so let’s take a look at how you can get more leads.
WHO Are They?
The right people – your potential customers – need to be described. Think of your product or service and then picture the ideal customer for it. That’s who you want to meet and greet.
Sure, it’s nice to welcome other people to your website and introduce what you sell to them, but if they are not the ones who will reach for their wallets, then it’s a waste of your time and energy. Once you know WHO, then you are ready for HOW.
HOW Do You Connect With These Folks?
Get out there. Talk to people. If you are catering to a local market, join clubs, make business cards, get yourself known. Make business cards to share with local folks with your opt-in link printed on them to let them know how to reach you. If you are seeking online traffic, join Facebook Groups and make comments. Include your opt-in link in your signature when you post comments on Facebook.
Post links to blogs – and if you don’t feel comfortable as a wordsmith, hire someone to write them for you. Focus on all sorts of topics in your informative and interesting blogs and then provide your link at the very end of it. Just remember the 80/20 rule – 80% information, 20% sales. Let people get to know and trust you, and then you can tell them about your business. Give these folks a way to connect with you and your business. Once you know HOW, then you are ready for WHERE.
WHERE Do You Send Them?
Your opt-in form will capture their essential contact information – name, email address, and phone number (if you need that). Once they click on that link to send their information to you, they’ve become a lead. The opt-in page sends them to your sales page so that they can learn more about your business and what it has to offer.
Make sure that your sales page looks spiffy. Provide the details and benefits of your product and service. Give them a link to make the purchase. Remember that your website needs to be an active “showroom.” Spruce it up with color and graphics and fun things to look at. Plus, put different links on it so people can tell you that they are interested. Give something away – a coupon or a short eBook on tips or a ticket to a special sales event. Encourage comments from your customers. Once you know WHERE, then you are ready for WHAT.
WHAT Do They Want or Need?
As for your sales page, that’s where you advertise your product or service and turn leads into customers. What is it about what you are selling that has instant appeal? Focus on those elements. What do others say about your product or service? What features do you like best about what you sell?
Now think of some colorful ways to describe those and don’t just use words. The eyes have it when it comes to online marketing, so be sure to capture all of this in graphics – photographs, drawings, and videos, too. Include the most stellar comments from satisfied customers.
Not too long ago, you had to market your business one person at a time. How arduous! How time-consuming! Now you can reach many with little effort. In fact, you can automate your online marketing with our tool – Online Sales Pro. With this tool, you can send broadcast messages to your list, updating your customers with anything new or information about a sales event.
You can also send leads a follow-up series of messages, letting them know more about your product or service in each one. Space them out every couple of days to pique their interest. As for us here at Online Sales Pro. We’re here to help you connect with your leads and to build your list. And know this – we’re always glad to help!
