SPEAKER SERVICES UPDATE

Connecting speakers and authors with audiences since 1992

http://www.speakerservices.com

NEED A SPEAKER, AUTHOR OR EXPERT FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT?

SEE a very short video on how to book our speakers.  Click here to view.

CONTACT OUR SPEAKERS DIRECTLY
No agent, no agencies, no middle-men

Visit Speaker Services and browse our ONE-SENTENCE TAGLINES for a thumbnail description of each expert.  Want to know more? One click lands you on a brief, information-packed write-up with a direct contact number an e-mail address. It’s that quick and easy.

or

Search by Category or Name , Speakers for Free (locally for free) or Fee and Authors’ Speak. Now you can search by location.

Feel free to call me with any of your speaking or training needs.

Susan Levin
Speaker Services
310-822-4922 PST
susan@speakerservices.com

September 2011 E-Zine

Marketing & Training Services since 1992

Speaker Services http://www.speakerservices.com

In this issue
- Note from Susan Levin
- Meet our featured speakers & authors
- Tips and Advice
- Teleclasses & Workshops
- Tweets & Blog Posts of interest

Today I am sharing with you new reports about the meeting attendees that several of my colleagues posted in their blog or e-zine.  Also be sure to read tweets and blogs of interest as there are many interesting items ie: 17 Things Marketers Should Delete From Their Facebook Strategy NOW.

I am wondering Are you talking up your business?   Speaking is the fastest path to more clients, more credibility and more business.  As an author, consultant, coach, service professional or entrepreneur, speaking establishes your expertise, while marketing you at the same time.

But how do you get those speaking gigs? What do you need to have in place to get meeting planners to book you? How do you create a compelling message that you can adapt to any audience, lengthen or shorten at will and create a huge impact? How do you create massive visibility from your speaking gigs and leverage this publicity into more leads and more clients?

Whether you are new to speaking or are an expert with multiple speaking engagements under your belt, there are ways to profit from speaking that you probably have not even considered.

There are so many moving parts and angles that you have to master.

You can find the answers at the Los Angeles Talk Up Your Business, Master the Message, Master the Marketing on Monday, October 17

See the website and the program and sign up now as the seating is limited and it is only $99. http://www.speakerservices.com/talkupyourbizla

The Improv group led by jack Barnard finished their class with a performance.  Friends and family members had a great time.  In this photo is Ryan Jackson, Norah Edelstein and Raj Sharma doing a scene.

Enjoy the holiday weekend.  I hope you have some fun activities planned.

Speak your Way to More Business.

Susan Levin
Speaker Services
susan@speakerservices.com
310-822-4922 PT

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FEATURED SPEAKERS & AUTHORS FOR SEPTEMBER 2011

Click on name for full description and contact information.

	Michael Hingson — San Francisco, Nationwide, International Blind sales executive and Guide-dog user who survived 9-11 reflects on trust, teamwork, ethics, diversity, animal-human bonds, and human values. Topics: 9-11, Diversity, Motivational, Team Building
	Devin C. Hughes — San Diego, CA Coach, trainer and former athlete shows how to conquer the sense of alienation called “The Isolation Syndrome” and get your life back. Topics: Bullying, Cultural Diversity, Learning Disorders, Motivational, Parenting and Children
	Brenda Lane-Oliver — Maryland, Nationwide Performance coach/author reveals how to bring out the best in teams, managers and employees and shows women how to move up the career ladder with passion, dignity and determination. Topics: Leadership, Marketing, Success, Women’s Issues
	Susan Levin — Los Angeles Susan Levin specializes in helping business people attract a steady stream of ideal clients by marketing their business and income through speaking. Topics: Business Building, Business Opportunities, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Speaker Marketing
	Ursula Mentjes — Anaheim, S. CA Certified NLP Coach, author and sales expert Ursula Mentjes offers mindset shifts and strategies to make selling easy and significantly increase sales. Topics: Business Building, Entrepreneurship, Goal Setting, Sales
	Lawrence Polsky — New Jersey, Nationwide Executive coach reveals practical ways to energize you and your team as you face new challenges filled with conflict and change. Topics: Change, Conflict Resolution, Leadership, Team Building
	Jothy Rosenberg — New England, Nationwide Author, extreme athlete, entrepreneur and two-time cancer survivor empowers others to say “I CAN” in the face of major challenges. Topics: Disabilities, Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Inspirational, Motivational, Success
	Kathryn Tull, MFT — Los Angeles Relationship specialist, therapist and trainer offers powerful techniques that help you feel heard and appreciated as you boost self-worth, honor your past, and reclaim your power in the present. Topics: Abuse, Family, Motivational, Personal Development, Relationships
	Christy Waters, RN, BSN, MA, CLNC — Los Angeles Registered Nurse and Certified Legal Nurse Consultant (CLNC) with pharmaceutical background shows legal professionals how to review medical data so you can decide if a case is worth your time and effort. Topics: Health Care Business, Legal, Medical & Nursing Malpractice

SEE ALL SPEAKERS

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TIPS AND ADVICE

- New Report About Meeting Attendees

Vickie Sullivan  www.sullivanspeaker.com

Do you think virtual attendees  those who attend conferences from the comfort of their cubicle multi-task more than the audience you speak to right in front of you? Nope everyone (over 80%) is checking their email during your presentation, according to this fascinating study about meeting attendees both virtually and face-to-face.

Conducted in May by PCMA (Professional Conference Management Association), so this data is pretty fresh.  Most interesting finding:  the different motivations between virtual and physical attendees.  The former signs on for the value of the content (97%) and ease of use (90%).  The latter gets on a plane to meet with the speakers and colleagues (68%) and to meet more customers and prospects (56%).  And everyone (over 80%) seems very comfortable networking with strangers both online and off.  (Thank you, social media!)

Pay attention to this finding content marketing and distribution needs are not being met.  Distribution on all devices yes, that means smart phones is now expected. Getting information before, during, and after the event is important to both types of attendees.  Content is still king; the demands for searchability and availability are a given.  And we are not just talking white papers either.  Videos and other interactive formats make a difference.

As experts who speak, we always want to know more about our audiences.  This report is a treasure trove of cool information.  Click here to get the report (sign in is required).

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Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy Convention Industry Council

- Mary McKay, turnkeyspeaker.com

You will be interested to know that the Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy Convention Industry Council 2011 just reported last week that 205 million people attend 1.8 million meetings a year in the U.S.  And as Meetings & Conventions reported last year, planners say that motivational messages are among the most appropriate keynote categories: of the 116 meeting planners who responded, 69 % say that an uplifting speech is highly appropriate followed by the second highest category, industry related topics at 62%.  They also reported that while 15% of respondents do not pay their keynote speakers, 28% budget less than $5,000 and at the high end of the spectrum, 3% can pay more than $50,000 for a top name.

They also reported that word of mouth if the prevailing method of finding speakers.  There is only one way that you can become word of mouth.  And that is if someone hears you and recommends you.  So those free gigs you are doing right now can make a big difference.

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- Approaching prospects — Ron Katz

I have been doing a consulting gig on the other side of the desk for the past couple of months and amazed at how many bad pitches I have received from speakers, trainers, and other assorted presenters. Most of the worst ones are all about the wonderful things the presenter can do with little or no effort made to find out what the organization I am working with needs. In other words, it is all about them. Remember to do your homework, find out what your target might need, and then sell them on the benefit of hiring you. No one is going to hire you because it is good for you. One person actually had the nerve to tell me he had  work for less than his usual fee because he really needs the work right now. You will only get the work if the target organization can see how it will benefit them

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- Authors Who Visit Book Clubs

Bill Harrison  Reporter Connection  http://www.reporterconnection.com

GalleyCat has created a new way to connect book clubs with authors who want to visit them in-person, by phone or via Skype video. It’s called, quite simply, “Authors Who Visit Book Clubs.” The directory already has more than 300 authors and can be found here. Want to add your name? Go to GalleyCat’s Facebook page to sign up for free.

You’ll probably find the real payoff from such appearances won’t be in the number of books you sell, but rather the chance to connect with your fans and get valuable feedback. For instance, Jim Collins decided to write Good to Great, a business bestseller which has sold over 4 million copies, after dinner with a reader of his previous bestseller Built to Last.
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-  7 Things Marketers Should Delete From Their Facebook Strategy NOW from HubSpot Blog

What to Axe From Your Facebook Marketing Strategy

1. A Business “Profile,” Not a Page: First things first. Before you even think about anything else, know this: businesses have Pages, people have Profiles. If you haven’t already, create a Facebook Page for your business immediately. If you’ve already set up a Profile, Facebook enables you to convert it into a Page. Pages are specifically built for companies, brands, and organizations, and they provide all the right functionality (e.g. generating fans) for your business’ Facebook presence.

2. A Lengthy Page URL: So now you have a Page. What comes with it is this really long, unidentifiable, impossible-to-remember URL. Make it easy to communicate your Facebook presence to others by creating a vanity URL and username that’s easy to remember and share. For example, HubSpot’s Facebook Page URL is http://www.facebook.com/hubspot. (Note: Once your vanity URL is set, Facebook doesn’t let you change it, so make it count!) Read more

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- The Ultimate Google+ Cheat Sheet
hubspot.com

Google+ is growing like crazy. In fact, it is the fastest growing social network ever. Just as with any other social network, marketers have a lot to learn and do. So we thought we would invest some time into making your life easier. In this post, we’ve compiled the best content about Google+ from all across the web. Use it to learn how to leverage Google+ for both business and personal uses.

Google+ Vocabulary: Quick Reference Glossary

Stream:  the list of messages that is displayed on the Google+ home screen and for each Circle of contacts

Hangout:  a platform for group video chatting and collaboration that is used by Google+ members

Circle:  the method of organizing connections into groups for more targeted sharing and better privacy

Google Profile:  your personal home on Google+, which allows you to share interesting, work experiences, personal information, and much more

Sparks:  the magazine of Google+, which bring together information on a topic for easy viewing. Enter a keyword, and see public Google+ posts on that topic.
Read more:

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SEPTEMBER  TELELCLASSES
SPEAKERS COMMUNITY

Teleclasses FREE for Speakers Community Members. Join now and get  2 months complimentary
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September 15,  3 Steps to Success: Niche Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Speaking Business Profitably, Susan Friedman, CSP

In this dynamic and high-content session, you will learn a unique 3-Step Riches in Niches Success Formula to build your speaking business faster and with less frustration. This practical framework of powerful, proven, and simple-to-use success strategies, makes it easier for you to find and cash in the right niche market for your business.

Join Susan Friedmann, The NichePreneur Coach, to discover simple steps to success to grow your speaking business profitably.  Read more/register

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September 26, Websites that Sell for Experts, Authors, Speakers, Kriste Rimmele

Learn proven strategies to help you effortlessly attract customers, get more leads, and command higher fees.

Discover:

-  5 tips to help you skyrocket the profits on your website

-   How to build an effective speaker website that gets you booked

-   How to build a personal brand that makes you unforgettable.

Kristie Rimmele knows first-hand how to build massive publicity and sales online.  She is the found of Webmomz.com, a community for work at home moms, president of Branding on the Net, and author of several books including I Love My Life: A Moms Guide to Working from Home. Read more/register

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WORKSHOPS IN LA & ORANGE COUNTY

Monday, October 17, Talk Up Your Business, Master the Message, Master the Marketing Workshop, Los Angeles

Jack Barnard, Susan Levin, Ursula Mentjes, Jean-Noel Bassior

SPEAKERS, AUTHORS, EXPERTS, COACHES, CONSULTANTS

Gain Credibility, Boost Your Visibility & Get More Clients by Talking Up Your Business

If you are a would-be speaker, a business hotshot, an entrepreneur or a network marketer; if you have a product, service or about-to-be-realized dream; you absolutely need to be speaking about it, do seminars & workshops about  you need a kick-butt website, you need to blog about, to social network about, to get great publicity about — and you definitely need to know all the up-to-the-minute marketing tricks!

In short: to truly make a lasting impact, you need to be a media maven: a compelling presenter…a website wizard…a publicity hound…a master marketer.

GREAT, practical advice and training, energizing and inspirational presenters from whom I learned a great deal.  Strategies I know I’ll use over and over.  Thanks to Susan and Jack for a weekend that left me confident and prepared!
- Melinda Bates, Author, Clintonista, A White House Memoir

See the program and register

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Saturday, October 29,  Market Yourself as a Speaker, Susan Levin

Are you a seasoned expert with years of advice and experience to pass along? Whether you are an executive, educator or salesperson you could be missing out on an important source of your income: THE SPEAKING CIRCUIT.

The information, techniques and tools that you’ll receive from attending Market Yourself as a Speaker are essential to building your speaking business.

Market Yourself as a Speaker workshop is the dash track to making the changes necessary to reach your target market.
- Suzanne Takowsky, Beverly Hills Times Magazine

Learn more and register

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Monday, November 7,  Speak Your Way to More Clients, Capistrano Beach, Ursula Mentjes and Susan Levin

Speak Your Way to More Clients was packed with tricks of the speaking trade.  Following the examples provided during the workshop will be vital to making my next speaking engagement a great success!,  Carleen Paul, Skills for Success Reading Center

Establish yourself as an Expert through speaking  a powerful marketing tool that lifts your business or service to the next level. Begin now to build a profitable speaking business that gets your message out to the world!

- The Tools to Establish Yourself as the Expert in your Industry
- Generate List Building Systems to stay in front of your Prospects and Clients
- Proven Strategies to Land more Speaking Engagements
- Discover the Problem that you Solve for your Clients and the best way to Communicate it to the Decision Maker
- Create your Top 25 Target Client List and more
Read more/register

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Tweets of interest

- 10 Reasons Why an Online Speaker Kit Gets Meeting Planners to Book You! http://bit.ly/r5AU40 so what do you speak about?

- I luv my AudioAcrobat http://bit.ly/pDSQ6J do you use it? If not check it out. My favorite resource.

- Resources 4 speakers, experts & authors Blog: hundreds of posts http://speakerscommunity.com/blog & videos Utube Channel http://tinyurl.com/2e3dzjm Rock on!

- Get Booked on Radio Talk Shows http://bit.ly/p0oRIv Alex Carroll shows you how to Get Rich & Become Famous Being A Guest on Big Radio Shows

- Do you have an mp3 library? Favorite resource for speakers/authors. Hundreds of interviews, 60 days free. Join now http://www.speakerscommunity.com

- 17 Things Marketers Should Delete From Their Facebook Strategy NOW http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/23603/17-Things-Marketers-Should-Delete-From-Their-Facebook-Strategy-NOW.aspx via @HubSpot

-ASU LEARNING: University bringing more speakers to campus and community http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/aug/29/asu-bringing-more-speakers-to-campus-and/

-The Ultimate Google+ Cheat Sheet http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/23765/The-Ultimate-Google-Cheat-Sheet.aspx via @HubSpot

- Interesting article about Groupon http://www.smallbusinessnewz.com/topnews/2011/08/29/daily-deals-groupon-down-livingsocial-up-facebook-out

Suggestion:  Save this information or print it out for your review

Next classes Market Yourself as a Speaker in LA Saturday, June 18 or August 13, 10am-2pm in Marina del Rey, CA (included with your listing) and for out of town folks I offer a one hour telephone consultation.  See http://www.speakerservices.com/services/la.html#MarketYourself for details.

In this e-mail you will find the benefits of joining our service as well as sample listings to use as a guideline plus questions to guide you along to put together your speaker listing.  Additionally you will find speaker testimonials and a partial list of meeting/event coordinators, organizations, corporations who have used our services.

In this Issue
- Note from Susan Levin
- New & Renewing Speakers & Authors
- Tips & Advice & Resources

Subscribe to e-zine http://www.speakerservices.com/nl

Greetings,

Happy New Year. May 2010 be the best ever for you.

I had a great holiday season, lots of movies and an open open house New Years Day gathering at my home.  The photo is me on the left and my friend Paula at my party.

Welcome to our new subscribers and speakers.

Potential clients often ask me, “so what do you do”? So to be clear. Speaker Services offers marketing and training services. On the marketing side we have the online directory www.speakerservices.com that brings speakers and audiences together since 1992. We work with professional people and authors who are interested in growing their business and income through speaking. Additionally I teach speaker marketing consulting through workshops and privates sessions.

Jack Barnard is our master branding, media and presentation coach and works with our clients privately. Please feel free to call me at 310-822-4922 PT or e mail me at susan@speakerservices.com to see if I can assist you in any of your marketing and speaking needs.

You will find many tips and resources in this issue including a great post from Seth Godin talking about Is there a fear shortage? If so, I’m not seeing it.

Check out our new speakers/authors and see what they are talking about. Also see several calls for speaker proposals that I gathered for you.

Speakers’ Summit ’10 our annual event is ready for you to view. Take a look at the program. http://www.speakerservices.com/speakerssummit10/program.html

The theme is Position, Prospect, Prosper- The Road Ahead. March 12-14 in Los Angeles. We’ll be delving into Corporate Sponsorship, Getting Booked at High Schools and Colleges, Online Video Strategies, Social Media and Prospecting for Gigs plus Adam Urbanski will share how speakers can make $250,000 to $1,000,000 a year with coaching programs.

SPEAKERS/PANELISTS include: Jack Barnard, Brent Scarpo, Sabrina Gibson, Adam Urbanski, Ursula Mentjes, Susan Levin, Mitch Mortimer, Barbara Niven, Nancy Solari, Naz Keynejad, Michael McFarlane, Mark Mikelat, Deborah Deras, Keith Ivey and more.

You can listen to a 30 minute conversation with Adam and me where we are talking about how coaching can being you mucho $$. Click here to listen. While you are there you can sign up for free for the following teleclasses 1/25 Get Booked in High Schools and Colleges teleclass and 2/8 Online Video Strategies & Corporate Sponsorship

If you would like to be listed in our online directory that brings speakers and authors together with audiences since 1992. Please drop me an e mail susan@speakerservices.com or call me for the listing guidelines. See rates and perks http://www.speakerservices.com/adv_pkt.html

Susan Levin
Speaker Services
310-822-4922 PT
susan@speakerservices.com

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NEW AND RENEWING SPEAKERS/AUTHORS

See all Featured Speakers for January 2010

Lisa Brisse – S. California
Exercise Physiologist/Fitness Coach inspire and empower you to make healthy lifestyle choices and reach your health and fitness goals – once and for all!
Fitness, Health, Wellness, Work/Life Balance

Dr. Cindy Brown, Author, S. California
Behavior Specialist, Executive Coach, Author shows you how to finally master your behavior, communication and relationships for personal and professional success utilizing her powerful breakthrough techniques and E.M.T.™ process.
Business Solutions, Communication, Personal Development, Relationships

Margaret Futerer Author — S. California
Survivor of polygamist upbringing shares 6-step process that helps women “get past the past,” connect with their personal power, and find their life’s purpose.
Abuse, Inspirational, Polygamy, Self Empowerment, Women’s Issues

Greta Hassel — S. California
Marriage and Family Therapist combines her specialization in couples with ancient teachings of sacred sexuality, showing how to shift from Disillusioned to Delighted!
Addiction/Recovery, Relationships, Sacred Sexuality

Jane Honeck — Portland, Maine, New England
CPA and Personal Financial Specialist reveals the real problem behind all money problems and offers tools for living an empowered, financially conscious life.
Empowerment, Financial Consciousness, Financial Planning, Money Matters

Adekemi “Kemi” Oguntala, M.D. — San Mateo, Northern, CA
“The Teen Doc” helps parents, teachers and health professionals understand the world of teens better in an effort to improve communication on difficult teen topics such as eating disorders, depression, substance use and sexuality.
Family, Parenting and Children, Teens, Tweens

Neil Peterson,  Author, California, New York, Seattle, Washington D.C
Entrepreneur, businessman, public servant, author and adventurer inspires you to “embrace the edge” and say “yes” to the life-challenging opportunities put in front of you every day.
ADHD, Inspirational, Leadership, Motivational

See all speakers/authors

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Call for Proposals

NHPCO’s 11th Clinical Team Conference, Scientific Symposium and Pediatric Intensive: Performing in the Key of E: Excellence in Interdisciplinary Care Gaylord Opryland Nashville Resort and Convention Center, Nashville, TN
September 13 – 15, 2010: Clinical Team Conference,

Presentation/Paper Proposal Deadline: January 22, 2010
http://www.nhpco.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=5669

CiTE 2010 :: Call for Presentations
CiTE 2010 Call for Speakers. Pearson eCollege and Pearson Learning Solutions invite faculty. Submit your presentation ideas and descriptions today! CiTE 2010 :
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Call for Presentations http://cite2010.com/cfs.html
Pearson eCollege and Pearson Learning Solutions invite faculty, administrators, program directors, instructional deans, librarians and other education professionals who use our solutions to submit proposals for general sessions at CiTE 2010.

This year’s users conference will feature a variety of thought-provoking sessions led by innovative educators and other thought leaders in online education. Submit your presentation ideas and descriptions today!
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International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
http://www.iaapa.org/education/CFP/2010CFP.asp

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TIPS AND ADVICE

Listen to the teleclass on Speaker Marketing, 12/30/09 with Susan Levin and special guest Reno Lovinson.

http://speakerservices.audioacrobat.com/download/SpeakerMarketing.mp3

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Speak at Libraries — Rita Emmett

If you are a new or low-fee speaker, consider giving a talk at your local library. Some do not pay, but many pay fees ranging from $50 to $250. Ask for the person in charge of programming, and realize they may book you for a year from now.

Advantages:

- It’s great place to practice.
- They do the marketing and you can gain ideas for your own marketing.
- They often have the ability to audio or video record you. A Chicago suburban library videotapes speakers and puts them on a local cable channel, showing it over and over and over. This gives you great credibility and exposure locally.
- They usually give (or sell at a very low fee) to you the recording and rights to use it.
- You can ask for a testimonial on their letterhead and permission to use it in your marketing. That opens the door to other libraries.
- Patrons of libraries are book people so they are big on buying books. If you do not have one of your own, consider asking another speaker if you can purchase their books at a discount so you can make a profit for yourself selling them. For example, people buy my books at half price and sell at retail, so they make 50% profit on each book.
- You can invite local potential clients to attend.
- You or the library can submit a press release and you can use reprints of that in your promotional material.
- Once you give your first talk at a library, mentioning it to other libraries helps to open doors.
- Occasionally, if you do a great job, the library might hire you to speak to staff, and they usually pay very well.

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Online schedule manager — Donna Gunter, OnlineBizU.com

Tungle (tungle.com) is an online schedule manager that couldn’t be easier to use. With Tungle you send dynamic meeting invitations through the online Tungle interface that are synced with your existing e-calendar and make meetings happen efficiently, with no email ping-pong or phone tag. You can propose multiple times to one or many people for them to choose from. People you invite don’t have to sign up for the service to reply to your invitations. All they need is an email address and a browser.

My two favorite features are the following:

Tungle automatically manages time zones. Invitees see proposed times in their own time zone.
Tungle will dynamically update your pending meeting invitations if you add new events to your calendar that overlap proposed times.

Once the meeting has been booked, everyone gets a confirmation and their calendars are updated. You can synchronize your Tungle calendar with Outlook, Google calendar, iCal/Entourage, or Lotus Notes.

You can make meetings much easier to schedule with the Tungle Me feature. Create your personal link to display your availability and let others schedule meetings with you without their having to sign up. When synced with your calendar, your link always shows your most up-to-date availability (free/busy only, not your calendar details). And you can place a Tungle Me button on your social networking profiles, as well as your Web site and blog. A Tungle app for the iPhone has just been added as well. Visitors to your link don’t have to sign up, but they will have to confirm who they are by verifying their email address. You get the final say over if and when you meet.

If you’re on a team and have to manage a meeting, you can connect to your network with cross-calendar sharing. Easily share your free/busy or details calendar with anyone, inside or outside your company, independent of their platform. You choose, on a person-by-person basis, whether you want to share your full details or free/busy calendar. Start or stop sharing with anyone, at any time. See your sharing buddies’ schedules overlaid on yours.

It’s very easy to use, and best of all, it’s a no-cost tool! Get affiliate link
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Amazon.com Marketing: How to Get Your Blog Published on Amazon’s Kindle, Donna Gunter

Amazon’s Kindle is a electronic book-reading device that allows people to purchase and download electronic versions of books, newspapers, and magazines. Now, you can have your blog available to Kindle readers, as well. Best of all, you can get paid for this strategy. However, you don’t get to pick the price Kindle owners pay to subscribe to your blog. Amazon chooses the price, based on what it believes is fair. This means $0.99 or $1.99 per month for most blogs. There is no way to distribute your blog for free.

The downside? You get only 30% of the subscription revenue. For example, if your blog sells for $0.99 cents and 1000 people subscribe to it via the Kindle, you’ll receive $297 per month rather than the full $990 per month paid to Amazon. International publishers must receive their funds via a U.S. check, which comes with a hefty international transaction charge.

All Kindle Blog subscriptions start with a 14-day free trial. Subscribers can cancel at any time during the free trial period. If they wish to continue their subscription, they do nothing and it will automatically continue at the regular monthly price.

How can you get your blog distributed on the Kindle? Here are the 6 easy steps to Kindle publication:

1. Sign up. Go to https://kindlepublishing.amazon.com to sign up.

2. Create new account. Your existing Amazon.com account information will not work here. You’ll need to create a new account. Because you are eligible to receive payments for subscriptions, you’ll also need to provide some banking information and a tax ID number. Unfortunately, they don’t pay commissions via Paypal.

3. Add your blog. You’ll need the following information to complete your submission.

–RSS/Atom feed for your blog (be sure that your posts appear as full posts rather than excerpts or your blog will fail validation)
–blog description
–blog screenshot
–blog masthead/banner
–blog keywords

4. Review your entries. Double-check your entries before publishing the results.

5. Publish your blog to Kindle. Once you hit the “Publish to Kindle” button, it will take 48-72 hours to appear in Amazon.

6. Promote your Amazon status. Once your blog is published, you can ask your blog readers to go to Amazon and rate your blog as well as review it.

In all honesty, you’re not going to make much money from Kindle for the moment. Even though images are black and white and video won’t play on the Kindle, it’s a convenient way to read blogs on the go. However, I believe that the more methods of distribution you provide for your content, the better. Follow these 6 steps and become a published blogger on Amazon today!
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Resource for Video Trailers, AuthorsBroadCast.com
Reno Lovison Marketing, (773) 989-1960
http://www.authorsbroadcast.com

We produce and display book videos trailers intended to help authors and publishers promote their books.

Like movie trailers – - book video trailers are intended to quickly acquaint readers with an author and/or the content of a book they might like to purchase and read.

Most of our videos are produced for printed books but we produce videos for e-books and audio books as well.

Readers and book lovers are invited to view book video trailers here. Then click through to the author’s or publisher’s website to learn more or make a purchase

Authors and publishers are invited to post your trailer here or have us produce a video trailer for your book.

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Seth Godin Blog
Is there a fear shortage? If so, I’m not seeing it.

When something is scarce, it’s valuable and smart people try to make more of it. So, should we be trying to make more fear?

Looking around, it appears as though the government, various media players and lots of well-meaning people have come to a conclusion that there’s a shortage of fear. So they’re busy making more of it. Making more when we already have a surplus…

We’re inundated about ways to avoid this pitfall or that risk.

If you see something, say something. Hmmm. Has that actually worked? Or x-raying shoes? When was the last time a bad guy was foiled because he couldn’t use a good camera to take a picture of a tourist attraction? Why do the authorities at Grand Central Station in New York wear desert camouflage?

Not just fear of terror (which is another word for fear). Fear of failure. Reminding people that an idea will never work, that the market is in failure, that all hope is lost–does that work very often?

Fear mongering is a lousy profession, one that ought to be regulated, if not banned. I’m more in favor of hope mongering. 2010 is the year that the world will change. In fact, every year is that year, but this is the only time we’ll get to change the world this time

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Speakers Community
UPCOMING TELECLASSES

Teleclasses FREE 4 Speakers Community Members 2 months complimentary Join now

Jan 14 – Every Word has Power, Yvonne Oswald

Why are the words you use when you speak so important? Because using low energy words such as hard, worry, difficult or problem, stimulates negative emotions in the middle or limbic brain, slowing down or diminishing your intent, while high energy, powerful impactful words like excitement, joy, fun, laughter, harmony or success get the imagination flowing by stimulating the cerebral cortex, the initiator of great results. Learn more

Jan 28 – Publicity Tactics: Get PR with Mainstream & Social Media Networks, Dan Janal

Do you scream when you pick up a newspaper and see someone quoted when you know that you are the authority in that field?

Ever wonder why your competitors get quoted and you don’t?

Wonder no longer. You are about to learn how to get the publicity you need to get the visibility and credibility you need to sell more speaking engagements and consulting services – so you get more clients and charge higher fees. Learn more.

Complimentary Preview teleclass for Speakers’ Summit ’10

Monday, Jan 25, 4-5pm PT or 7-8pm ET

Get Booked to Speak at Colleges and Presentation Skills-Speakers’ Summit Preview
Brent Scarpo and Jack Barnard Register

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Subscribe to e-zine http://www.speakerservices.com/nl

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And in the Blog

Gifts ad ReGifting

Online Video Advertising Opportunities are Limitless

Yesterday was a total nightmare with my e mail account.  Sincerest apologies if you received three e-mails from me.  It was only supposed to be one.  There were a few items I forgot to mention and I also want to give you a few speaking leads as a consultation.

Okay here we go…

Complimentary teleclass Monday, Oct 5, 4-5pm PST

Q & A Speakers’ Bootcamp

How many times has someone in your life said to you, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it”?  Most of us have heard that. We have all worked with very accomplished, well-educated people who are absolutely brilliant in their field, but when they spoke, they almost put us to sleep.

- How many of us have listened to an individual who was charismatic, compelling, and attractive and then when it was all done, you ask yourself, “What did they just say?” or you don’t remember a thing they said. It was all show with no substance. To get on the road to more effective speaking, you must master what you say AND how you say it.

Get your questions answered regarding the semi annual Speakers’ Bootcamp by master branding, media and presentation coach Jack Barnard and Marketing coach and owner of Speaker Services, Susan Levin.

Even if you can’t make the teleclass register as we will send you the mp3 following the teleclass for your review.  Register http://www.speakerservices.com/teleclasses/detail/152

The Bootcamp is November 11-15 in Los Angeles
See web page with more info http://tinyurl.com/49zc8z 

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Los Angeles, Meet-Up Speak-Up Network Event
Host Speaker Services

Wednesday, 10/7, 4pm-7:30pm   $29  Must register by Monday, Oct 5

http://www.speakerservices.com/teleclasses/detail/148

Relax and enjoy tasty appetizers in a beautiful setting overlooking Marina Bay as you schmooze with potential clients and learn from the experts
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In SpeakerNetNews a question was posed:

Business is down for many SNN readers. However, some are saying that this economic downturn has provided opportunities they might not have otherwise explored. Send us one or two of the *best* things you’ve gotten as a result of the recession.

If you would like to respond please send your brief, pithy responses to editor@ SpeakerNetNews.com. Please put “Topic of the Month” or “TOTM” in the subject line.

Here’s one of the responses:

Derrick Hayes

In the Fall of 2008 I felt the effects of the recession with lost speaking engagements. With no budget to hire a publicist to help market my services, I researched and found cost-effective ways to market my business. I signed up for PR services like HARO, Pitch Rate and Blogger Link Up and learned how to market myself to the media to get article placement, radio interviews, quoted for blogs, and promoted in gift bags. I have taken what I have learned in the last 12 months and turned it into a workshop on social media.

Note: On Nov 1 Speaker Services is offering a workshop in Costa Mesa so that you can learn how to- Connect with Reporters who want to Hear Your Message:  Tips for Pitch Letters  http://www.speakerservices.com/teleclasses and we also have a Media List & Pitch Letter/Press Release Service click here to learn more. 

This is the most complete, up-to-date list of media in TV, Radio, Newspaper, Magazine and online media outlets. You get complete information, including name, email, phone, fax, street address, preferred contact method, website, circulation, topics covered and personal notes to help you target the media and built rapport to get results.
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Request for Stories for Empowerment Book for Teens
TEENS–we want to hear from you. Make a difference and submit your true experience/story or original poem for Lila Reyna’s upcoming Empowerment book at www.lilareyna.com. Examples of topics are cyber bullying, date rape, emotions, positive attitudes, and sexual assault. Your story can pass on prevention and may possess the power to heal another teen that has survived a trying time. Submissions are automatically entered in a $100 drawing. www.lilareyna.com

Lila is a Safety Awareness trainer teaches you to be your own bodyguard and increase external − and internal − awareness. She speaks about Body-Mind, Domestic Violence, Safety/Self-Protection, Self Empowerment

See her speaker listing http://www.speakerservices.com/speakers/detail/349
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SPEAKING LEADS

ACRL/LLAMA Spring Virtual Institute
“Doing Well by Doing Good”:
Entrepreneurial Leadership for Librarians
April 21-22, 2010
http://www.ala.org/ala//mgrps/divs/acrl/events/ALA_print_layout_1_430652_430652.cfm

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National Speakers Assoc Convention, Orlando, Fl. 7/17/10

http://www.nsaspeaker.org/Home/ProposaltoPresent.aspx
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Social Media Marketing: The New Frontier Workshop,
Susan Levin

Saturday, October 24, 1-5pm, Marina del Rey

Marketing on social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter can help increase the size of your email list and grow your business. The key to success is making sure that members of your target market are in your network.

- Build your business with social networking and increase your online visibility
- Develop a social media strategy presence across the key social media platforms
- Leverage and create content, connection, and community
- Explore why it’s never about the sale, it’s always about the relationship
- Produce and distribute content that can be shared and extends the voice of your brand, product and company
- Explore how articles writing, blogs, utube can create brand awareness and buzz

Learn more http://www.speakerservices.com/teleclasses/detail/151

Blog compilation posts on Social Networking/Marketing
http://tinyurl.com/ybxatfu

Speaker Services- October ’09 -  E-Zine

This is the first time I am publishing my e-zine on the blog.  More then likely I will post some of the past issues soon especially if ya all send me your comments.

There is so much valuable information to be shared.

If you care to subscribe to our e mail out reaches here a great place to subscribe http://www.speakerservices.com/nl/

Susan, susan@speakerservices.com

In this Issue
- Note from Susan Levin
- New & Renewing Speakers & Authors
- Tips & Advice & Resources
- Article: Social Networking: 7 Strategies to Finding Your Target Market on Twitter

Greetings from Susan Levin

“Marketing is not an event, but a process . . . It has a beginning, a middle, but never an end, for it is a process. You improve it, perfect it, change it, even pause it. But you never stop it completely.” Jay Conrad Levinson

Isn’t that true?  And it is changing so fast that it is challenging to stay up with all the trends.  Social media has profoundly altered the way we market and communicate.  Not sure what I am talking about? Social Media Marketing is the use of technology combined with social interaction to create or co-create value.  Here’s a great way to understand it and to see the make up of social media marketing.  Content + Context + Connections + Community = Social Media Marketing.

Last week PR Wire offered a Webinar on how to include video in your PR releases/Pitch Letters which you then can use to leverage your social networks, post to your blog, tweet your video nd more.   According to the speakers they have had great success including a short video on their new releases. A picture is worth a 1,000 words a Video is worth millions.  We are offering one camera shoots in November ask me about it if you would like to create a few short professional videos.  Our 3 camera video demo showcase is November 8 in LA.  We have 2 slots open at this time.  It is exciting times as there are many more ways to distribute your videos whether it is a one or three camera video.  You see video is viral.

Social networking sites  offer businesses and individuals both networking and marketing opportunities, all at no cost. However, if you don’t know how to make your social networking site work for you, you might end up losing business instead of gaining it!

Here are a few articles that you might want to read

Top Ten Reasons Why You Must Add Video to Your Marketing Mix This Fall

The Evolution of Social Media

Failing at the Future: 10 Reasons Why Some Companies will Miss out on the Economic Upturn!

Donna Gunter talks to us today about Strategies to Finding Your Target Market on Twitter. I have also included other tips on how to tweet and use hashtags.

Regarding community will we see you at the LA Meet Up, Speak Up Networking and Get Mentored event in Marina del Rey, Wednesday, October 7?  Click here for details to register. We want to connect with you.  You must sign up by Monday, October 5.

On Sunday October 11 I will be at  An Empowered Woman  Expo Networking Event you are welcome to attend and please stop by and say hello.

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NEW AND RENEWING SPEAKERS AND AUTHORS  October 2009

Dr. Bunny Vreeland, video — Ventura County, CA
Board Certified clinical hypnotherapist and award-winning image consultant combines expertise in both fields to help you lose weight, ease stress, stop smoking, conquer phobias, and give yourself a makeover — inside and out.
Anti-Aging, Body-Mind, Stress Management

Jeffrey I Condon , author  — S. California
Attorney/author reveals how to divide your money and property after you are gone — without dividing your family.
Estate Planning, Inheritance Planning, Senior Issues, Wills/Living Trusts

See all speakers/authors
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Are you connecting with us via the Speakers’ Community?
Look at who I am interviewing in October.
- Oct 14  Make Money in Your Jammies: Creating Income from Teleseminars, Blogs and Subsequent Products, Rebecca Morgan
- Oct 29  Market Your Book Beyond the Platform, Shel Horowitz

Speakers Community is a Membership club and if you care to join us you can join the community for 60 days for free and have access to the 2 teleclass interviews each month plus the last two years of mp3’s.

This is an online library of stellar experts on various aspects of the speaking industry.  Can anyone tell me where they can access information as such from the experts for $10 an hour?  That’s right it is a mere $19.95 a month. Talk about a stimulus package!
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Susans’ Recommended Resource-  AudioAcrobat

I love audioacrobat and have been using it for 3 years.

AudioAcrobat – Powerful and Easy Online Radio and Audio Content Development Tool

AudioAcrobat is an audio recording, streaming and hosting service. All of your audio and video messages are automatically converted into a single of html code that can be uploaded to any Website.

AudioAcrobat is the easiest way to add great audio to your Web site and emails. Produce your own online radio show and broadcast to the world!

Record testimonials of your clients and customers! It is the simple way to create audio with your telephone, PC microphone or by uploading files. It is absolutely painless audio recording!

Use AudioAcrobat for:
* Advertising * Advice * Announcements * Classes * Coaching * Conference Calls * Demos * Events * Fun * Fund Raising * Greetings * How-to * Humor * Interviews * Introductions * Lectures * Music Clips * Opinions * Presentations * Product Descriptions * Radio Shows * Seminars * Statements * Support * Testimonials * Workshops

Learn more and try it out 30 days free

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Want a Kindle edition of your book? Use Word
John Kremer www.bookmarket.com

In a web article, Aaron Shepard shares how to use Microsoft Word to format your book for Kindle. He offers succinct and clear instructions on how to do this at http://www.newselfpublishing.com/WordKindle.html.

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Enormous Wisdom on Ethical Business Success…Big Discount for You

One of the most remarkable books I’ve come across is Shel Horowitz’s award-winning Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First. In 160 pages, Shel lays out a number of forward-thinking ideas about ethics, environmental sustainability, and mutually beneficial partnerships–and shows, hands-on, how to put these ideas into practice in your own business, slashing marketing costs and boosting profit as you go.

This groundbreaking book was endorsed by over 80 entrepreneurs and marketers from Chicken Soup co-creator Jack Canfield to former US Secretary of Labor Robert Reich…resold to publishers in India and Mexico…purchased in bulk by the president of Southwest Airlines–and business publisher John Wiley & Sons bought the rights and is using the book as a basis for Shel’s eighth book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green, which Shel is co-authoring with Jay Conrad Levinson.

But once the new book comes out, Shel is prohibited by contract from selling the old one. So he’s asked me to offer them to you at a deep discount, and with two e-books he’s written as bonuses. Please visit http://bit.ly/18KeY1 to take advantage of this incredible value
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Sell more books with Twitter hashtags, John Kremer

The following tip was provided by Michael Volkin, author of Social Networking for Authors:

Twitter is not only good for keeping in touch with customers, but you can also find new customers with hashtags. I have had great success selling books using Twitter hashtags.

Hashtags are a way Twitter uses organize their tweets about a specific topic. For example, if you want to tweet about real estate, you could start off a tweet with a pound sign then the word real estate, like this #RealEstate. There are numerous hashtags that have already been established, and new ones cropping up daily.

So why use hashtags? Because Twitter users often search hashtags for content. So if you’re tweeting about your book and using proper hashtags, a potential customer can come across your book who wouldn’t have otherwise. Go to hashtags.org and search for hashtags that Twitter users are using right now. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a customer or two….or ten.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter (username: @NetworkAuthor), I’ll follow you back. For more tips on how to market your book via social networks, go to Michael Volkin’s SellaTonofBooks.com and purchase his new book Social Networking for Authors-Untapped Possibilities for Wealth.
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What to tweet about?
a few key tweets from JohnKremer@bookmarket.com

I share some interesting resources and tips in my regular tweeting via Twitter. If you want to get those tips as I share them, follow me at http://www.twitter.com/johnkremer

Twitter Mania Manual now 94 pages. Download free at

http://www.bookmarket.com/50WaystoTweet.htm

Want to sell rights to a cookbook? Check out http://bookmarket.com/cookbook.htm

SpeakerServices Tweets

Get Paid to Speak at Conferences, Seminars, Schools or Colleges.  Learn everything u need 2 win the Game of Speaking http://ping.fm/ifbo3

Meet Dr Bunny Speaker hypnotherapist helps you lose weight, ease stress, stop smoking, conquer phobias http://bit.ly/xTCgm

Do u have a media room on your website?  It’s a place 2 share press, speaking gigs, pitch letters, articles blog post http://bit.ly/2M7n6M

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ARTICLE

Social Networking: 7 Strategies to Finding Your Target Market on Twitter, Donna Gunter  Onlinebizu.com

Social networking using Twitter seems to be the most popular way to connect today, from celebrity Ashton Kutcher’s challenge to Oprah to reach one million friends first (Ashton won) to a U.S. State Department official contacting the co-founder of Twitter to delay upgrading the Twitter system so as not to interrupt election dialogue in Iran. More and more news agencies are using Twitter to keep their audience up-to-date, and local businesses are also jumping on the Twitter bandwagon as an immediate way to connect with their customers, as well.

How can you make the best use of Twitter in your business? It all starts with having followers in your target market. No doubt you’ve been inundated with email offers of things like “10,000 Twitter followers in 60 seconds for only $19.95!” Trust me — 1000 followers that are members of your target market are much more useful to the growth of your business via social networking than 10,000 followers that come from anywhere.

How do you find members of your target market on Twitter? Here are my top 7 strategies:

1. Add people you know in your industry. Twitter permits people to use fictitious names or business names as their Twitter identity, rather than their given name. So, it may be difficult at times to find the person you’re seeking, especially if she goes by “ShoeDiva” on Twitter and you know her as Miranda Smith. Try Twitter Search  or Advanced Search , to help you in your quest.

2. Find others with the same interests or serving the same target market. The online yellow pages of Twitter users, Twellow.com, permits users to list themselves by industry and interests. If your business isn’t currently listed on Twellow, take a few minutes to do that right away.

3. Follow those in the same geographic region. If marketing to your local area is an important part of your business, find local members of your target market by using Twellowhood.com or TwitterLocal.com and find the top movers and shakers in your region, as well as some members of your target market. If you want to meet fellow Tweeps face-to-face, search local Tweetups at TwtVite,com, or create your own gathering.

4. Get relevant recommendations. The free service, MrTweet.com, will provide you with info on recommended people to follow based on your current Twitter profile. You do have to follow MrTweet in order to participate. Once you’re logged in, you can see your recommendations, along with how these recommendations are connected to your list of followers. You can evaluate your recommendations, and MrTweet will make changes in your recommended list accordingly.

5. Follow those who follow you. It’s considered good Twitter etiquette to follow those people who’ve chosen to follow you. And, to prevent being labeled a Twitter snob, ideally you should be following more people than are following you. I have automated my ability to follow my followers by using a free version of TweetLater.com.

6. Look for keywords. Another way to find relevant followers is to keep track of people mentioning certain keywords in their Tweets. I do that through the free version of TweetLater.com. I use this same service to keep track of any mentions of me or my company on Twitter in the very same way I use Google Alerts.

7. Find groups. Twibes.com permits you to find groups by industry and interest and join them and/or see the members of each group. And, if you so inclined, you can create your own Twitter group, as well.

Remember, finding your target market is just the beginning. Once you’ve found them, you need to begin to build relationships with them. This means paying attention to what they say so that you can respond when appropriate either with a direct message (DM) or an @ reply that is public or retweeting (RT) their message to your followers when you feel someone has great info that would be useful to those who follow you. Take 10-15 minutes per day to keep yourself informed about what’s happening with your Tweeps and watch your business grow!

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Speaker Services Workshops

Saturday, October 24
Social Media Marketing: The New Frontier, Susan Levin
Learn more/register http://tinyurl.com/ps7vwk

Social media has profoundly altered the way we market and communicate.

Social Media Marketing is the use of technology combined with social interaction to create or co-create value.

Content + Context + Connections + Community = Social Media Marketing

Marketing on social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter can help increase the size of your email list and grow your business. The key to success is making sure that members of your target market are in your network.

What consumers are primarily interested in today are not features, but relationships.”
– Harry Beckwith, “Selling the Invisible”

In the workshop you will learn tools, tactics and implementation techniques to

- Build your business with social networking and increase your online visibility
- Develop a social media strategy presence across the key social media platforms
- Leverage and create content, connection, and community
- Explore why it’s never about the sale, it’s always about the relationship
- Produce and distribute content that can be shared and extends the voice of your brand, product and company
- Explore how articles writing, blogs, utube can create brand awareness and buzz
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Sunday, November 1 in Costa Mesa, CA
Learn how to write pitch letters, grab attention of reporters

- Contact reporters, bloggers, talk show producers and other media people directly, using the language they understand.

- Link your product, service or story to news of the day or issues on the national stage.

- Practice writing a powerful pitch letter that hooks the media and makes them want to know more about you and what you do.

- The difference between a pitch letter and a press release and how to know which one to send when you want publicity.

Learn more/register

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Latest posts in the Blog

√ Does Your Website Have a Media Room?

√ The 10 biggest traps to avoid when you speak

I am visiting friends today in Santa Rosa, CA and consulting with them on how to drive more traffic to their website. Although they have had a website for many years they have not kept an active on line presence via e-mail. The marketing climate has shifted over the years and we need to be out in front of our potential customers and get with the current marketing trends.

I always counsel my speaker/author clients to collect e mail addresses before they leave a speaking gig. If you want to capture the gold in your business it is essential that you create an opt-in list. Hey guys when someone comes to your website and you don’t connect with them more then likely you may never see them again. The following post is written by my colleague Kathleen Gage, The Street Smarts Speaker and Author. Take it away Kathleen…

When I consult with small and home based business owners, more times than not one of the greatest concerns they have is how to increase reach to a targeted market while keeping costs down. Hands down, effectively using the power of the Internet is the cornerstone to achieving this outcome. More times than not, companies are not using their Internet presence as effectively as they can.

I often see a company that has a website that looks great from a design perspective, yet from a marketing and sales perspective the site is not working. Many people are under the mistaken belief that if a potential customer or client visits their site they will be so impressed they will automatically return time and again. Fact is, this is not what happens in the real world of the Internet. Chances are within minutes most visitors have forgotten sites they looked at unless there was something that encouraged them to remember.

People remember based on the value you create and a problem being solved. They also remember by you keeping your name and company fresh in their mind.

One way to do this is to offer visitors the opportunity to opt in to your mailing list. If people have taken the time to visit your site, you need to encourage them to leave their contact information. You do this by offering them something that is incredibly valuable that they sign up for.

It’s incredible how many companies, large and small, miss the opportunity to encourage visitors to sign up for something. It is in the signing up you will build a mailing list that is worth more than its weight in gold.

Most people are so overloaded with information that if you don’t immediately solve a problem for them they are not going to be interested in signing up for anything. Additionally, once they sign up if your information does not continue to solve their problem they will want off your list.

In today’s world of Internet marketing, your job is to look for ways to continually offer value while increasing your distribution list.

Specific Strategies to Increase Your Distribution List

- If you are in the retail industry, every time someone comes to your store, simply ask them if you can add them to your distribution list to keep them updated on specials, events, and unique offers. In most cases if they are attracted to your store, they will gladly give you their information. Make sure to get their email address.

- If you have a current mailing list of clients, conduct a survey and offer an incentive for people to respond. Direct them to your site where they fill out a survey and perhaps receive a free report or eBook.

- If you do any type of presentations as a part of your job, collect contact information from the attendees. Send a follow-up message within 48 hours inviting them to sign up for your Ezine.

- Use your email signature file to encourage people to sign up for an incentive on your website. Put the web link right in your signature.

- Put a sign-up box on every page of your site. Many websites have a sign-up on the main page but have not put one up on other pages of their site. Fact is, a web search for a specific product or service can take people anywhere on your site, not just the main page. Make it easy for them to sign-up for something from every page.

- Write and distribute articles online with a strong byline at the end of the article. A byline is simply an information piece that is usually a few sentences in length. In the byline direct readers back to your website for something of value.

- Offer a free report from your site. Make sure it is compelling enough for people to want to sign up.

- Offer free eBooks to encourage people to leave their contact information in order to download the file.

- Opt-in lists are one of the most powerful marketing tools you have in your online and offline marketing. Complemented by a good Ezine, website, consistent focus on driving traffic to your site and gaining visibility, the potential for growing your business is unlimited.

Kathleen Gage, aka The Street Smarts Speaker and Author, is an award winning entreuprunuer, keynote speaker and bestselling author. Gain More Leads, Better Prospects, Close More Sales F*R*E*E eBook by Kathleen Gage shows you how. STREET SMARTS EMARKETING Online Success Strategies Guaranteed to Put You Miles Ahead of the Competition!

Click here to get your free e-book: http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

By C.J. Hayden

” A weekday edition of The New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in 17th century England.”
– R.S. Wurman, “Information Anxiety”

How many times today has someone already tried to sell you something? The ads come in by email, snail mail, fax, radio, magazines, newspapers, TV, and your web browser; the salespeople write you, call you, and approach you in the store or showroom.

Are you even listening any more? How often do you actually buy something because someone you didn’t know tried to sell it to you?

Your clients are just like you. Not only are they fed up with the messages, but they also don’t even see them most of the time. Overwhelmed with communications, they tune out the vast majority of marketing messages in order to just get through their day.

As an example, one survey revealed that, after attending a race plastered with Coca-Cola logos, only a third of the attendees could remember what company was the sponsor.

Making information available to your clients is still important, so don’t throw out your brochures or take down your website. But with so many communications arriving all the time, your clients want control over how and when they receive your information.

“What consumers are primarily interested in today are not features, but relationships.”
– Harry Beckwith, “Selling the Invisible”

More than ever before, people want to do business with people they know, like, and trust.

With a service business, what you are really marketing is you, not your services, and your prospective clients need to know who you are. They want to feel a connection with you and know they can trust you, before they will consider doing business with you.

“Beleaguered by e-mail spam and intrusive pop-up ads on the Internet, consumers are using the “delete” button with increasing frequency and losing confidence in other traditional forms of advertising as well…. Consumers rank word-of-mouth recommendations from others as the most trusted form of advertising.”
– PlanetFeedback.com

According to psychologists, a primary motivational factor for human behavior is affiliation, defined as “the desire to establish and maintain warm and friendly relations with others.”

We are naturally drawn toward experiences where affiliation is possible, and avoid situations where it is not. When we receive a recommendation from someone we are already affiliated with, we believe that following that recommendation will continue the positive experience.

If we think developing an affiliation is possible with someone new because they have approached us in a warm and friendly way, we are encouraged to establish a new relationship, whether it is personal or business.

“With the amount of information presented increasing, mass marketing campaigns become less effective… One-to-one marketing will not just be a possibility, it will be a necessity.”
– Easton Consultants, “Information Overload”

Establishing a one-to-one connection with your prospective clients can begin with projecting the warm and friendly image that encourages affiliation. Make yourself available for contact and conversation that won’t necessarily lead directly to a sale. Encourage word-of-mouth by developing and keeping in touch with a network of current and former clients, colleagues, competitors, referral partners, and influential people. Focus on providing information to clients in objective, rather than promotional ways.

A recent study found that a commercial website scored 27% higher in “usability” by visitors when written in an objective style (sharing information), instead of a promotional style (singing the company’s praises).

You can act on this principle off line by prioritizing writing helpful articles and giving talks over sending brochures and making cold calls. Participate in your client community as a peer by attending conferences, seminars, fund raisers, and other educational and social events.

On the web, frequent discussion lists, forums, and other online communities. When you read articles and posts, take a moment to post your comments to the author where other visitors can see them.

Prospective buyers name newsletters, blogs, and other forms of opt-in, reader-friendly communications as one of their most trusted sources of information about products and services. As well as publishing one yourself, it pays to be mentioned in someone else’s.

“Get to know the influentials . . . invite them in and engage them in a conversation…. Most are local community leaders, or have real involvement in their communities, and as such are the nodes of wide personal networks. They are the people . . . to whom others look for advice or counsel.”
– Edward Keller & Jonathan Berry, “The Influentials”

When you engage in a community, people begin to know you from the words of others instead of from your words alone. You can even create your own community by starting an affinity group or business network, launching a discussion list, hosting an online forum or live conference, adding commenting features to your web site, posting reader responses in your newsletter, and much more.

The real key is to begin connecting in person with the population you want to reach, instead of relying on promoting and selling to bring them to you and make them want to buy.

Complied by John Kremer www.bookmarket.com

The following are some of the most comprehensive directories of ezines and other email newsletters. These directories are designed to help ezine editors and publishers to promote their ezines (if you publish an ezine, you should list yourself in any ezine directory that allows open submissions). They also help advertisers and potential partners to locate related ezines. And, of course, these directories also help readers to locate ezines they want to read and subscribe to.

In reviewing many of these directories (and many others), I found many out-of-date listings with many former ezine directories completely nonexistent. So, please note that many of the ezine listings might also be out of date. If you find a directory that is really maintained and up-to-date, please let me know. Thanks. Email: JohnKremer@BookMarket.com.

Best Ezines: http://www.bestezines.com — Features 2,350 ezines on business, Internet business, finance & real estate, computers & technology, health & fitness, self-help, home & family, social sciences, and many other categories.

Ezine Hub: http://www.ezinehub.com/?source=zinebook — Lots of topics, but many junk listings.

Ezine Marketing: http://ezine-marketing.com/cgi-bin/ezsearch/search.cgi — Features a search function for 500 ezines, where you can search by subject or keyword phrase. Includes contact email.

Ezine Search: http://www.ezinesearch.com — Features thousands of ezines in many, many categories. Their listings seem to be syndicated to a variety of other websites.

Ezine-Universe.com: http://www.ezine-universe.com — Now known as New List: http://www.new-list.com. Features over 9,000 ezines. Provides name of ezine, website URL, and the name of the owner. Categories covered: business, Internet business, finance & real estate, writing/publishing/ speaking, arts & entertainment, reference & education, food & drink, health & fitness, self-help, computers & technology, home & family, social sciences (relationships, dating, politics, religion, media); recreation & sports, and travel & leisure.

The Flying Inkpot’s Zine Scene: http://www.inkpot.com/zines — A directory of online journals, magazines, and zines, but apparently not updated since 1998.

Jogena’s Ezine Directory: http://www.jogena.com/ezine/ezinedata.htm — Directory of ezines sorted by business, work at home, Internet marketing, writing and publishing, computers and technology, home and family, money and finance, personal development and spirituality, travel, health, and humor. Also includes an ebook directory (but the free ebooks always require buying something or giving your name and email address) and article directory.

List City: http://www.list-city.com — Features a short list of ezines in a variety of subjects.

The Lists of Lists: http://www.thelistoflists.com (also known as List Channel: http://www.listchannel.com/dir). Features almost 2,000 ezines in a variety of topics.

Published.com: http://www.published.com/category/Zines.aspx — Features over 1,500 ezines covering biography, poetry, non-fiction, children’s, travel, fiction, music, and how-to instructional. Listings are submitted by anyone so listings are very uneven in quality.

Zinester: http://www.zinester.com — A limited ezine directory.

Online article directories

Publishing articles, especially via an e-zine, is the ideal opportunity to showcase your business. By sharing your knowledge and expertise, you build credibility as an expert, while spreading the word about your services and products.

While I’m sure that sometimes you have dozens of content ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen, grumbling that it’s publishing time again. Well, have no fear! Here are 11 quick (and good) content ideas for when you’re in a pinch.

1. Give real-life success stories. Describe a problem you’ve solved for a client/customer, and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice. Show your readers how you’ve helped customers address challenges — “case studies” if you will. This positions you as the expert in your readers’ minds more than your coming out and saying so.

2. Think of three areas in which you’d like your clients to think of you as a resource. Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed writing for Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects to hire me for these projects, I published several articles on how to write Web copy that sells.

3. Read industry publications for ideas. Are there any hot issues in your field right now? The more controversial, the better. Don’t be afraid to offer your own opinion — your readers want to know it. After all, YOU are the expert in their eyes.

4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past. You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each in a short article. If you publish weekly, that’s two months’ worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can’t think of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a quick e-mail, asking them what topics they’re most interested in learning more about.

5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference, workshop, seminar, or insightful article? No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information! Pass on any gems of advice you’ve learned elsewhere — just give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.

6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject. It’s much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least close to the top. (If you “fire your biggest gun” last, you risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)

7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your readers (while not competing with yours). E-mail interviews are incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5 questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your e-zine as a thank you. (A one- or two-sentence description of their business and their Web address should be fine.)

8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full reviews on them.In one issue of my old e-zine, “AKB MarCom Tips,” I featured reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I’m glad I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up making some nice commission, to boot!

9. Invite clients or readers to write you with their own questions, and answer one in each issue.Right after their question, publish the person’s name, business, and Web address, with their permission. They’ll enjoy the attention and free publicity!

10. Invite readers to send in profiles. Ask them to tell you about themselves — their names, businesses, locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine. Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.

11. When all else fails, borrow an article! There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available for you to use immediately. The only catch is you’re required to leave the entire article intact, including the author’s promotional information. One of my favorite places to search for articles is www.ezinearticles.com.

One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine’s main objective is to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature other writers’ articles more than once in a blue moon. Remember our main goal is to continually showcase YOU. : )

© 2001-2008 Alexandria Brown International Inc.

Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning “Highlights on Marketing Success” weekly ezine with 28,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at AlexandriaBrown.com

Susan note:

Need help with a website? Our team offers website evaluations and redesign of content as well as copywriting. contact susan@speakerservices.com

Great suggestions in todays post by C J Hayden.  Article writing is a terrific lead generator and can bring tons of folks to your website.  BTW: did you know that some of books have been created from blogging and have become best sellers?  Also, consider offering a series of articles as a PDF Special Report which you can sell as one of your information products.Writing articles as an expert in your professional specialty can help you become more credible, as well as more visible. A well-written article on a subject of interest to your target market will get clients’ attention, demonstrate your expertise, and increase your name recognition. But if you’ve never written for publication before, the process of getting published may seem intimidating. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing and publishing articles that will attract clients.

1. Find the Right Publication Venues

by Donna Gunter

You may have heard the saying that “the gold is in your list” for your online business. I’ve found that to be the case, despite any number of social marketing techniques like blogging, MySpace, etc. It’s always extremely helpful to have a list of people to whom you can market.

How do you develop that list and keep adding people to it? You create a client-capturing device. A client-capturing device is a free giveaway that is of value to your target market and serves as a solution to a big problem that challenges your target market.

Once upon a time, the offer for a free ezine was sufficient to capture a visitor’s contact info. Alas, that is no longer the case, so you have to up the ante and provide even greater value to your visitor. Your client capturing device can take any of several formats — an ebook, a recording of a teleclass, a 6- part ecourse, a short downloadable video.

Here is a list of 8 qualities that your free giveaway must contain in order to capture the most clients:

1. Compelling title. Make sure the title of your client-capturing contains a solution to a major problem with which your target market struggles. My title strategy is to use a number and a solution, like 5 Secrets to…. or 7 Mistakes Made By…. When your visitor sees the title, you want him to think, “I’ve got to get that!”

2. Benefit to visitor. In addition to your compelling title, create 3-4 sentences to describe the content of your client-capturing device. Making an offer is not enough — you need to convince your visitor that you have the perfect solution to his problem and that he can get that solution very quickly by providing his name and email address to you.

3. Graphic enhancement. A picture is worth a thousand words, and people like to “see” what they’re getting. Have a cover or graphic image of your giveaway created that matches the look and feel of your website or blog.

4. Format. You want your client-capturing device to be as easy to use as possible. Therefore, if you’re giving away an ebook or special report, create a PDF file that anyone can download and open. If it’s an audio file, save it in mp3 format, which can be opened by any audio player. If you want to share videos, embed them into your site using a player that is compatible across both the PC and Mac platforms.

5. Relevant and useful content. Don’t hold back in your giveaway. Provide a complete solution to your visitor that can be implemented immediately. Limit the amount of upselling that you do in the content, and save the bulk of that for any followup autoresponders that the visitor receives.

6. More information. Create a page with all the pertinent info about your giveaway. Some visitors will request their copy of your giveaway immediately when they see the offer on your opt-in form, while others will require a bit more convincing.

7. Testimonials. What have previous users said about your download? Add to the excitement and the desire of getting your giveaway by listing how beneficial others have found your information.

8. Put a price on it. To accentuate the value of your giveaway, put a price on it. Make it reasonable for your target market and not completely outrageous. If it sounds too good to be true, most visitors will believe just that and leave your site without requesting your giveaway.

In whatever form it might take, your client capturing device needs to provide some solid information to help your target market solve a pressing problem and not simply be a piece of fluff that advertises your business. If your giveaway is all fluff and no substance, you will have lost this prospective customer for good.

Copyright (c) 2007 Donna Gunter

Donna Gunter is an Online Business Resource Queen™ and Online Business Coach. Donna helps independent service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. http://www.OnlineBizU.com . Ask Donna an Internet Marketing question at http://www.AskDonnaGunter.com

Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound wrote this post in her blog and there is a ton of information here not to be missed.

Don’t miss this critical step when creating your publicity plan.

Start adding bloggers and editors of electronic newsletters (ezines) to the list of people who you will contact if you want publicity.

If you’re a publicist, and your PR client is adamant about getting coverage in top-tier media like USA Today, The New York Times, O magazine and on big shows like “Today” and “Fox & Friends,” take the time to explain that your client must also get in front of the thousands of people who don’t read those newspapers or watch those shows and prefer, instead, to receive their information online.

One of the big advantages of pitching bloggers and ezine editors is that unlike traditional media, the information you provide has a way of spreading online rather quickly. If it shows up in an ezine, and that ezine is archived, people will be able to find it months and even years later.

—Most bloggers and ezine editors write about specific topics. A stay-at-home mom who has her own home-based business, for instance, can offer information to bloggers and ezine publishers who write about stay-at-home moms or home-based businesses, or both.

—The best bloggers blog several times a week. Because they present a constant stream of new information, the search engines give good ranking to blog posts. That means that when somebody searches Google for “dog obedience tips,” the list that Google returns on the left side of the screen will include blog posts, not just websites.

—When journalists are doing research for their articles, most of them use a search engine to find background, commentary, statistics, experts and other sources. If they end up at your blog, at a blog where you are mentioned, or at an ezine archives where there’s an article about you, they might call you for their story. Many journalists also subscribe to electronic newsletters devoted to the topics on their beats.

—Bloggers love to link to each other’s posts. If an influential blogger mentions you, or your product or service, other bloggers who link to that post may help you get in front of an entirely different audience. The publicity builds and builds, like a snowball rolling downhill.

—I publish an ezine on publicity. Another ezine publisher who writes about publicity might ask if she can use one of my articles in her ezine in exchange for me using one of her articles in my publication. Some of the people on her ezine list, who want information about publicity, might not know about me. When they read about me, they might visit my website, sign up for my ezine and perhaps even buy my products. It’s a win-win.

How to research blogs

I’ll bet many of you already know about bloggers you’d love to target.

If you’re looking for others, go to Technorati.com. Type in a topic such as “engineering” and you’ll get a list of either engineering blogs, or blogs that mention the word engineering. From there, you can research each blog and see if it’s likely to reach your target audience.

Once you’ve found a blog that’s a good candidate for your pitch, spend some time reading it so you’re familiar with what the blogger writes about.

One of the very best ways to get a blogger’s attention before you pitch is to post a comment about a topic they discuss at their blog. I’ll sometimes post two or three comments within a week or two at a particular blog before pitching that blogger with my idea.

Why? Because I want the blogger to recognize me when I pitch. It shows I’m willing to become involved in the conversation, not just contact them when they want something.

It’s best not to be too promotional within your comment. Instead, add to the conversation, then email the blogger privately to let them know about other information you have about your product, service, cause or issue.

How to find ezines

I like to use New-List.com where about 9,000 ezines are listed. You can also do a Google search for “health care ezines” or “construction ezines” or whatever the topic happens to be.

EzineSearch.com lists more than 10,000 ezines, with thorough instructions on how to search for what you need.

BestEzines.com includes includes information on more than 2,200 ezines representing more than 15 million permission-based email members.

NetTop20.com website includes the top 20 ezine directories.e most popular and highest-rating ezine directories on the Net today.

What ezine editors want

Ezine editors want content-rich material for their publications. So don’t be shy about pitching them. This is the type of content they love:

Free advice
Press releases about news their readers want
Links to short videos that are entertaining or instructional
Top 10 lists
Commentary on controversial topics
Other resources their readers will find helpful
Success stories
How to” information
Frequently asked questions and answers on a particular topic
Jokes and quotes (I include a dog joke in each issue of my ezine and readers love them!)
Polls and surveys
Quizzes and other briefs (See “Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes)

Another way to research is to ask the kinds of people you’re trying to get in front of which ezines they read. Ezine editors just like me are always looking for content like success stories, comments on controversial topics, innovative business practices, anything that will save people time and money, the rising stars in a particular industry, and the story and personalities behind a particular award a company has received. Email the editor and offer your information.

Now, you’re ready to start contacting bloggers and ezine editors. If you’re successful, email me and tell me all about it. I might write about you in my own ezine or this blog.

To learn more about the Publicity Hounds website and offering click here.

Today’s post comes from Larry Chase’s Web Digest for Marketers
http://www.wdfm.com

1. Focus on Delivering More and More Value:

In this day of email deluge, you can not do the “same ol’ same ol’” and expect to improve or even maintain your results. Customers and potential customers are going through a revolution of rising expectations. They demand extreme value from email communications, so add more value to yours with new ideas. First of all, follow your competition and make sure you are delivering more value than they do.

One tactic this editor uses is “just in time” education, whereby instead of just saying “buy this”, I give detailed background about the item and why it is an absolute essential. I suggest other items that work with it, even if those items are not for sale on our site. This creates more of a content context for our subscribers and adds great value, which means they are more likely to open our emails and shop.

PS — Statistics say that people can only handle about 15 email “relationships” (meaning emails that they pay attention to regularly) before they hit email overload. This includes emails regarding credit card statements, bank statements, their kids’ school updates and so on.

It’s a zero sum game. If you want to get on that list of 15, you’ve got to deliver more value than someone else who is already on that list and replace them to make room for you.

2. Engage Your New Subscribers Right Away:

Direct marketers know that the most active subscribers on a list are typically the ones that have subscribed within the last 30-60 days. DMers call these motivated newbies “hotliners”.

Thank your new subscribers right away for subscribing. This is step one in building your relationships with them.

Reinforce what they can expect from you in terms of email communications. This will help subscribers look forward to and identify your email when it arrives, as opposed to lumping it with the deluge of email they receive every day.

Also consider sending a special offer with your thank you email. This editor sends an email with the subject line “Thank You and a Special Gift For You” to new subscribers. It offers a 10% discount on first purchase. That email regularly has an open rate of 60% or more and a healthy redemption rate.

3. Know Who Your Subscribers Are:

This editor reviews every single new subscriber’s email address before uploading new names to a master list. Yes, that means going through hundreds of lines on a spreadsheet every week. Trust me, you get very good at skimming!

The benefits of this attention to detail are four-fold:

I know exactly which email service providers my subscribers are receiving their emails at and thus how my emails will appear to them;
If someone does use a business domain, I know exactly who they are and what company they work for;
I can correct any obvious errors in domain name spelling or format; and
I always take all of my competitors off of my list.

4. Optimize To Your Most Prevalent Email Provider:

Where are the majority of your subscribers receiving your email? It is to gmail.com, or yahoo.com or to businesses addresses? Knowing where they’re getting your communications allows you to focus on prioritizing optimization for those particular domains.

If it’s gmail.com, then you should not only seed your list with multiple addresses at gmail.com, but you should get to know everything about gmail.com that you can. If the majority of your subscribers are receiving your emails at their business addresses, that’s valuable information as well, as it will inform the design and even the tone of your email, whether you are B2B or B2C.

5. Pay Attention to Bouncebacks:
You are required by law to have a special email address where you receive all bouncebacks from your email communications. It needs to be looked at by a human, because if an unsubscribe request is sent to that address, you have a specific number of days to comply with that request.

However, thar’s gold in them thar hills. Every week this editor receives queries about products or press opportunities where the subscriber has simply hit “reply” to that email address and sent his or her message.

As a matter of fact, you may find that these people are some of your most valuable contacts, as they care enough to reply right away to your email with a question or a request.

6. The Future Is In Segmentation:

Savvy emailers are already practicing sophisticating segmentation techniques.
The “one size fits all” philosophy is so 2003. But how can you segment if it’s just little old you sitting at your desk with too much to do already? Get creative.

You can easily track people who have opened your email vs. those who have not. You can track people who have purchased vs. those who have not. Therefore you can track people who have opened your email but have not purchased. That’s a good group to focus on.

You can also track people who have purchased high-ticket items, or who have purchased the featured item as well as other items. All of this, of course, requires analytic tools.

Another way to segment is to do so on the “front end”, meaning that you ask a few pertinent questions when people sign up for your email. This editor has found that if questions require just a check of a box (as opposed to more laborious ways to select an answer, such as drop down menus), people will answer at least four elective questions, including sharing cell phone numbers and carriers.

Then you can segement by “intent” (why the person wants your email newsletter or what he or she intends to do with your info) or by special interests, or you can even delve into mobile marketing/text messaging.

PS — Many email service providers allow you to integrate with Google Analytics with the addition of a few lines of code. Look into that.

7. Romance Your Big Spenders:

Your big spenders are your most valuable subscribers. This editor has offered her big spenders major incentives such as 20% off their next purchase or $100 toward their next purchase. In our fasion retail line of business that’s almost giving away the bank, as our average order size is $350.

Sure, one or two of your customers will purchase $101 of merchandise, but we have found that most big-spending customers don’t abuse the offer. The average order for a big spender with a incentive is $1000. They walk away happy, and you walk away happy.

8. Figure Out How Much Revenue Each Email Should Generate:

Once you know the revenue each email transmission should generate, you can then judge the success of each email going forward. After all, revenue is what you are after. This editor knows that she should generate $1 per subscriber for every email sent. If I generate fewer sales dollars, I need to figure out what I did wrong, and vice versa.

This figure will also help you determine out if your list is diluted with too many “non-engaged” subscribers, which you can then weed out to get back to your revenue expectations.

9. Analyze Response To Offering One Item vs. Many Items:

This editor has found that although presenting one item for sale gives lots of room to romance the sale, the downside is that either the subscriber likes the item or she doesn’t. That’s a big risk to take. My more effective option is to present a number of items that either represent the newest things we have to offer, to feature complementary items in the form of interesting content, such as a top ten list of what to wear to the beach or what have you.

Of course, you will try both options to see for yourself what works best. One other thing to remember is to have plenty of upsells and crosssells on the landing page where your subscriber will end up if he is interested in what you have to offer.

10. Get Simple:

If you have not yet optimized your emails for BlackBerries or other mobile devices, now would be a good time to do so. The challenge in condensing your message to communicate via a mobile device is that you need to be very clear and concise about what you want to say. You most likely will have to rethink part or all of your email strategy.

But if don’t tailor your messages to the needs of your subscribers, you are obviously missing sales opportunities.

PS — You can check out how many people on your list are receiving emails on their BlackBerry by searching your records for email addresses ending with @blackberry.net.

11. Focus On Finding New Targeted Subscribers:

The more interested subscribers you have, the more sales you will have. Seems obvious, no? However, you may not realize that you don’t have to spend mega bucks to find new subscribers.

Develop relationships with the bloggers in your industry. Offer to sponsor some type of special activity, such as a contest or a giveaway of a complimentary account (if you are a service provider) or merchandise. Even other people’s merchandise will do, such as an Internet marketing library with books you’ve selected by a number of authors.

by Alexandria K. Brown

Publishing articles, especially via an e-zine, is the ideal opportunity to showcase your business. By sharing your knowledge and expertise, you build credibility as an expert, while spreading the word about your services and products.

While I’m sure that sometimes you have dozens of content ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen, grumbling that it’s publishing time again. Well, have no fear!

Here are 11 quick (and good) content ideas for when you’re in a pinch.

1. Give real-life success stories.
Describe a problem you’ve solved for a client/customer, and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice. Show your readers how you’ve helped customers address challenges — “case studies” if you will. This positions you as the expert in your readers’ minds more than your coming out and saying so.

2. Think of three areas in which you’d like your clients to think of you as a resource.
Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed writing for Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects to hire me for these projects, I published several articles on how to write Web copy that sells.

3. Read industry publications for ideas.
Are there any hot issues in your field right now? The more controversial, the better. Don’t be afraid to offer your own opinion — your readers want to know it. After all, YOU are the expert in their eyes.

4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past.
You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each in a short article. If you publish weekly, that’s two months’ worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can’t think of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a quick e-mail, asking them what topics they’re most interested in learning more about.

5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference, workshop, seminar, or insightful article?
No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information! Pass on any gems of advice you’ve learned elsewhere — just give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.

6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject.
It’s much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least close to the top. (If you “fire your biggest gun” last, you risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)

7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your readers
(while not competing with yours). E-mail interviews are incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5 questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your e-zine as a thank you. (A one- or two-sentence description of their business and their Web address should be fine.)

8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full reviews on them.
In one issue of my old e-zine, “AKB MarCom Tips,” I featured reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I’m glad I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up making some nice commission, to boot!

9. Invite clients or readers to write you with their own questions, and answer one in each issue.
Right after their question, publish the person’s name, business, and Web address, with their permission. They’ll enjoy the attention and free publicity!

10. Invite readers to send in profiles.
Ask them to tell you about themselves — their names, businesses, locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine. Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.

11. When all else fails, borrow an article!
There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available for you to use immediately. The only catch is you’re required to leave the entire article intact, including the author’s promotional information. One of my favorite places to search for articles is www.ezinearticles.com.

One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine’s main objective is to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature other writers’ articles more than once in a blue moon. Remember our main goal is to continually showcase YOU. : )

© 2001-2006 Alexandria K. Brown
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” publishes the award-winning ‘Straight Shooter Marketing’ weekly ezine with 20,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.EzineQueen.com

I have been a subscriber of to Larry Chase’s Web Digest for Marketers since I discovered him in the mid 90′s. The following information was in his e-zine today and it was too good not to pass it onto you.

I have had an e-zine for many years and continue to enjoy the benefits of staying out in front of my subscribers. As a of matter fact if you have not noticed yet- I am a shameless e-mailer.

On the monthly Speakers’ Community teleclass today I interviewed TJ Walker and we were talking about how content is the king/queen and how valuable it is to have an e-zine. It realy does not matter whether it is 1 tip a week or a month but what does matter is that you stay out in front of your prospects. If you don’t you are missing out on mucho business. It may not come right away and it could take 3-6 years and people do forget you unless you are out front. When the time is right they will use your services.

Enjoy the 12 Tips that Larry is offering to you and hopefully you will apply some of them. Subscribe to Web Digest newsletter at www.wdfm.com

As Larry says, take it away…

Email Newsletter Best Practices: I’ve been publishing the Web Digest for Marketers email newsletter since April 1995. Over the years, I’ve learned and unlearned things necessary to make such an enterprise thrive.

Below are my latest email insights into some of the key nuts and bolts needed to build a successful and durable email newsletter enterprise. Enjoy… and let me hear of insights you’ve learned, too.

1. Identify the Audiences Within Your Audience: Email newsletters are typically pretty focused publications, and therefore the subscribers will have many characteristics in common. Still, it’s important to realize your audience is probably not all look-alikes, like so many cut-out paper dolls.

Addressing specific audience segments can engage different parts of your list. The people who click on email-marketing reviews and ads are typically different from those reacting to PPC or SEM content.

Over the years, I’ve found the more specific I get with addressing audience segments, the better. What I’ve also noticed is that many subscribers who belong to one segment of my audience also belong to other segments.

One week, a person at a firm may be responsible for managing PPC campaigns. The following week, that person is up to his or her eyeballs in email deliverability.

2. Look at Your Newsletter Without Graphics: Why? Because it’s probably how more than half of your subscribers see it. Most email apps and inbox providers now default to graphics switched off. I know very few people who go out of their way to change those defaults so they can see your lovely GIFs and JPEGs, and those of your advertisers (if you have them).

In fact, sometimes people who can see graphics will actually turn them off in order to print out newsletters. They don’t want to waste the toner.

Unless your newsletter is about photography, fashion or architectural drawings, people just want to glean the information from you. That’s OK, since that is what you are publishing for anyway.

3. Identify your Editorial Niche: The toughest problem I see companies have is deciding what content to put in their newsletters. Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. What you want to see in a newsletter as a reader is often what you want to make available as a publisher.

I started Web Digest for Marketers because I needed it myself. As an Internet marketing pioneer in 1995, I had to be able to speak about what was happening on the Internet marketing scene. What’s out there? What’s worth emulating? What new trends are emerging? This was the genesis of my newsletter.

I read each newsletter at least three times. I read it for editorial purposes, as well as for the content itself.

I suggest you identify what editorial niche in your marketplace is underserved, or not being served at all, and see if you can comfortably fill the void.

If you aren’t jazzed by each issue of your newsletter, it’s very likely that your readers won’t be, either.

4. Pay Attention to Details: Managing Editor Eileen Shulock and I are very old school about typos and grammar. Yes, we take creative license sometimes. Yes, the occasional typo gets published. I won’t like it. But we do go out of our way to keep the copy clean.

It seems more acceptable these days to have typos and looser-fitting language, a sort of shorthand. But I do feel it reflects on the writers and editors to make the prose as tight as possible.

Keeping it tight telegraphs to the readers and advertisers that details matter. You can think of it as packaging. Sure, the car will run just as well if the paint job has bubbles in it. But psychologically, it won’t feel as good.

Details go beyond copy, of course, especially in an email newsletter. How does the newsletter render in different browsers, email readers and on BlackBerry devices? Yes, it can get tedious. But how you appear is, after all, an expression of you and your firm. It’s worth the work. Spend the time and money on it.

5. Be Concise: When I started Web Digest in 1995, the editorial tone was a lot more “schmoozy”, even though the reviews were even then only about 150 words each.

Now that there are too many informational resources, we tend to get right down to business. Yes, we use pithy little asides to indicate our feelings and attitudes. But for the most part, we stick to serving up lots of red-meat content.

6. Create a Long-Tail Newsletter: As we move forward in time, I notice the clickthrough tail getting longer and longer, meaning our newsletters get read and clicked on for a longer time after they are published.

You want your clickthrough tail to get longer, too. Here are a few ways you can make this happen:

Create content that’s evergreen. People are more apt to hold onto how-to information and resource-rich newsletters.

Look at subject lines like tab folders. People save Web Digest issues in their WDFM folders or Larry Chase folders and use the subject lines as a type of filing marker. Each issue’s subject line is clearly labeled as being about PPC, or SEO, or advanced email marketing or Web metrics for social media. This on-the-fly filing system that people use helps them to retrieve the content on demand. Thus, both editorial and ads get clickthroughs far into the future.

Tip: If you advertise in long-tail newsletters, leave your landing pages up for a very long time. The people who save back issues and click on ads and editorial are obviously a highly engaged segment of the audience.

7. Know When to Make Changes: Certain things about Web Digest are the very same as they were in 1995. The editorial units are still about 150 words long, for example. But other aspects needed to be freshened up. Here are a few things I’ve changed over the years:

We now concentrate on special-focus issues. Time was when every issue of Web Digest was simply covering the best new marketing sites to hit the Web. This was a winning formula for many years. But we changed it in order to reflect changing times.

Since the millennium, each issue drills down into a single slice of the Internet marketing pie. Both advertisers and readers are attracted to this tighter focus.

We’ve also evolved the newsletter’s look and feel. Today’s Web Digest looks somewhat like the original, except it’s in HTML format now (with graphics, special fonts and colors), and has two columns instead of one. I’ve thought of changing it to three columns, but I feel it looks too busy. I prefer the simpler look.

Direct marketers will tell you that changing a page will increase response rates. There is truth to this. But changing often just for the sake of change isn’t a great idea.

That said, you do want the look and feel to be current. You don’t want someone to look at your newsletter or site and say, “Oh, how very 1999.”

8. Repurpose Newsletter Content: You’ve gone to the effort and expense to create content; you might as well get as much legitimate mileage out of it as possible.

Naturally, you want to put your email newsletter content on your site in order to draw SEO traffic and inbound links. But be careful about reusing it too many times. If you use the content in your blog and in addition feature it elsewhere on your site in its original format (for example, as back issues of your newsletters), you might well be penalized for content duplication by the search engines.

Being penalized for content duplication doesn’t necessarily mean you’re thrown out of the search engine index. It could simply mean you appear further down in the SERPs (search engine results pages).

9. Focus on Deliverability: We could devote a whole issue to this. Wait a minute: We do! But for purposes of this discussion, let’s nail some of the critical points:

Repeatedly check your SPF (sender policy framework) records and reputation of the IP address you use to send your newsletter out. If your newsletter is sent from an email service bureau, you most definitely want to see if you are sending from a shared IP address or a dedicated one. If you share it with other clients of your email service bureau, you want to get your own IP address. Any infractions by these other clients can hurt your deliverability.

Keep up with the latest in deliverability techniques and development. Remember I talked about how things can get tedious earlier? Well, studying the ways to keep your newsletter out of an ISP’s bulk filter is tedium squared, but absolutely necessary.

If your eyeballs glaze over when thinking about this critical aspect of getting your newsletter delivered, then hire an expert. You must concentrate on writing copy that does not contain words or formatting that looks suspicious, for example, but other issues such as your HTML coding, the quality of the mailing list you email your messages to and your manner of dealing with complaints affect deliverability as well. You can find easy-to-understand advice on these topics here: www.wdfm.com

10. What’s Your Favorite Newsletter? That’s not a rhetorical question. I really want to know what you’re reading. I’m fascinated by what other newsletters people read in addition to my own.

In addition to reading virtually all email newsletters on Internet marketing, I like Morningstar’s email newsletter because it artfully blends high-value editorial content with pitches for signing up for some of the paid services.

I swore I wouldn’t sign up for paid content, but I wound up doing it anyway. The way they got me was classic DM. I really wanted the premium stuff badly. I waited for a special deal, and sure enough, one came along. They got me!

Every so often, they publish an article that I couldn’t access without a paid membership, but I couldn’t get upset with them because they had already delivered such high value to me for no cost. Brilliant.

Please respond to this email by hitting “reply” and tell me what your other favorite newsletters are and why you like them. In fact, do tell me about what you’d like to have covered in an email newsletter on Internet marketing that you can’t find now.

11. Relevance is King: Don’t tell my editors and writers, but the ads in Web Digest for Marketers get clicked on every bit as often as the editorial does, and often many more times. Why? Because the offers in those ads are especially relevant to my readers.

12. Don’t Be Shy: Ask for the sale. Have you ever just wanted to buy something quickly, and the email or Web interface did everything to divert you from getting it done? We’ve all been there.

Many times people just want to cut to the chase and get onto the next thing. Make it easy for them to do so. I seriously doubt you’ll alienate those who aren’t ready at that point on the page. They can always decline to click just then.

I once worked on a very long sales letter in which we had over 10 places where the reader could click. The highest clickthroughs were the one at the very top and the one at the very bottom, but virtually all the links in the middle were clicked on at least a few times. Different strokes for different folks.