Note: This is part 1 in a 7 part series on how to transform your website to attract your ideal clients.

Who is your ideal client? Does your website make clear exactly who you serve or support?

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One of my goals this year is to do more with video.  The article below arrived in my inbox this week and I thought I’d share.  For great video resources I also recommend @LouBortone on Twitter.  I’m going through his Online Video Rock Star Course and can’t wait to apply what I’m learning.

By: Christine Gallagher

Founded in 2005, YouTube is still the most well known video site and the one with the widest reach. It’s actually the number #3 most-trafficked website on the Internet behind Google and Facebook!

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By Christine Gallagher

A mentor of mine once said that when it comes to business, “the marketing is just as important as the mastery.” They were basically saying that the know-how and the “what” of your business is important, but if no one knows about you and what you do, it doesn’t matter. They actually qualified it by saying that the marketing is just as important–”if not more.”

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If you struggle to come up with ideas for your newsletter articles, you aren’t alone! Many small business owners aren’t sure what to write about. You want topics that will be interesting to your readers and help them get to “know” you so they learn that you can be a trusted source of the information or products they want.

Let me share some creative ideas with you to help you jump-start your brainstorming.

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I’m sitting in the LA airport waiting on a flight to Seattle, then on home to Anchorage.  Decided it’d be a good time to review what I implemented at ACLC.  Why am I sharing this?  First, because I’m just so darn excited about it all.  Second, because I want you to know that if I can do this so can you.

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A marketing plan gives you a basic guide for your marketing for the year.

By looking at your marketing 12 months at a time you can plan for seasonal and holiday promotions, work to combat any traditionally slower times for your company, and keep your business supported by always having at least one or two forms of marketing working for you.
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There are so many options for marketing your business.

Should you write articles?  Publish an ezine?  Blog?  Get on Twitter?  Facebook?  LinkedIn?  Distribute flyers?  Mail out postcards?  Hold workshops?  Present workshops or speeches?  Do in person networking?  Network online?  Do joint ventures?  Radio ads?  Contests?  Teleclasses?  Work with charities?  Write a magazine column?

It’s important to know yourself and to acknowledge who you are and what you enjoy when you create your marketing plan.

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First, let’s start with a definition.  What is Marketing?  Marketing is the process of defining, understanding, and then systematically promoting yourself and your products to your target market in a way that converts into sales of your products or services.

Um… yeah… in English?  :)  Marketing is how you reach the people that you can help, then share with them how you can help them and give them the opportunity to allow you to help.  See, that’s not scary at all.  When you define it this way it actually sounds good, right?  You want to help people by providing products or services that solve their problems!

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Your mindset towards marketing has a direct impact on:

* your satisfaction with your business

* the number of clients you find and keep

* the quality and quantity of the products and services you offer

* your sales – your bottom line

* how fast your products “fly off the shelf”

* how prospective customers and current clients view you, your business and your products and services

* whether you meet your sales targets and objectives

* your personal growth and lifestyle

* your opportunities for having affiliate and joint venture partners

* how fast you grow and your company grows

Like anything in life, your attitude shapes your actions and therefore affects your results.

Read these statements and see how many have crossed your mind or passed your lips:

* I’m not smart enough to learn that marketing tactic

* My business isn’t very special

* Who am I to think people will want to listen to me

* I doubt that I’ll be a very big success

* It’s too hard to market

* I don’t think I’m going to make enough money

* I’m not a good enough speaker, writer (fill in the blank)

* People won’t like my products or services

* I don’t want to be a pest

* I can’t sell

* There isn’t enough time to market

If you have a negative attitude towards marketing, don’t understand it, don’t feel confident about marketing, it will definitely impede your ability to attract and retain clients, and ultimately make money.

There is a chain reaction that occurs:

…if you have a negative attitude toward marketing, chances are you will market poorly or not at all

…if you don’t market, people won’t know about you, your products or services

…if they’ve never heard about you, you can’t sell them your services

…if you’re not selling anything, your business isn’t going to be successful

…if your business doesn’t succeed, where does that leave you?

You need to have a positive attitude towards marketing, or at the very least you must have a willingness to market yourself and your business.

With willingness you’ll start marketing and from there you will gain confidence and comfort in marketing by being able to see positive results such as recognition, money, the phone ringing, people signing up for your newsletter, etc.

You’ll move from willingness to actually wanting to market and maybe, just maybe, even enjoying marketing!

Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Whether it’s print ads in the newspaper or the matching programs online, personal ads are a popular way to find a person to share your life with.

A personal ad is designed to be a short, attention grabbing description of who you are and what you’re looking for. To work well, they’ve got to be honest and to the point.

Most start with a few key facts about the seeker (relationship status, ethnicity, female/male, age, location) and who they’re seeking (relationship status, ethnicity, female/male, age, location). Throw in some details about interests, hobbies, or general life experiences. State any specifics about who you definitely aren’t interested in. Add your contact information. You’ve got yourself a personal ad.

Just like a personal ad express who you are and who you’re looking for, your marketing should help you do the same. Not everyone is your ideal target. You’re not the ideal business to serve everyone. Acknowledge that, and you’ll be a step ahead on your marketing. It’s important to know who you *aren’t* looking for, as well as who you *are* looking for.

Now, It’s time to write a personal ad for your business!

1) Describe Your Business. Who is your business? What does your business offer? In 1 or 2 sentences describe what service you provide or products you sell.

2) Ideal Customer. Who is your ideal customer? Imagine the perfect customer in detail–female/male, age, marital status, children, occupation, interests, etc. If you have trouble with this step, look over your customer/client list and think about the ones who were wonderful to work with or who gained the most from your services.

3) Get Specific, Succinctly. If you had to pick three of the top results customers/clients gain by doing business with you, what would they be? Think results, not features. A good place to look if you get stuck is to the testimonials and thank you notes customers/clients send. What do they mention most often about their experiences with your business?

4) Skip Me If… Some customers/clients can be better served by another business. Who are they? This isn’t necessarily something you want to mention in your advertising, but it’s something you definitely want to keep in mind so you don’t advertise or market in the wrong places.

5) Please Call. How can customers/clients make contact with you? Offer easy options to reach you for business!

One more thought–a common joke about personal ads is the exaggeration that often happens – while it’s okay to accentuate the positive, never over-promise or be dishonest when describing what you offer or the results you or your products help deliver. Focus on building long-term customer relationships so that customers not only purchase once (and leave disappointed like the blind date that just wasn’t what you expected) but become regulars who also refer friends and family.

When you’ve finished writing a “personal ad” for your business with these five steps you’ll have a short and sweet reminder that will help you focus your marketing efforts in the right places to get results and help more of the right people. Next time you aren’t sure if a marketing strategy or opportunity is right, read over your ad and see if you’re reaching the right people in the right place.

Got thoughts? Want to share what you’ve written for your business? Come leave a comment on the blog!