I should have this stuff down. Like, I should KNOW this stuff. A couple years ago I was all over the social marketing thing. Not saying I did it to the extent I should have. But I knew what it was. I knew what I “should” be doing and I knew the sites that were out there.

I still have Twitter. And I am trying to get back into tweet mode. (I’m at @TinaMc – send me a tweet and I’ll send ya one back!).

I have Facebook. Which I sometimes think is the debil. (wink wink) I think it’s WAY too easy to get yourself in trouble over there with snarky comments, stupid comments or (insert your adjective here) comments.

But I’ve started my etsy shops (yes, plural) and it’s time to get the marketing wheels a’turnin’. And Facebook is good for marketing. (yes, it really is)

So maybe I could blame my squirmy wormy 4 month old, but creating my etsy business page on FB was a pain. Seriously. It should be easier. I felt like I was some idiot adult trying to re-learn how to ride a bike.

It hasn’t been that long. Yet I felt completely out of the loop. What apps should I pick? What pictures should I upload? Oh crap, that link to my YouTube includes my former biz videos…I don’t want those up there. How can I filter those out without screwing everything else up?

Stuff like that.

I feel behind the times. I should know this stuff.

Or I could just blame my baby girl. She was squirmy and distracting and loveable and drooling. (She really was – all of those).

Now…back to the FB page. And if you are interested, I’d love for you to “like” my page. Just click here: Beyond The Pen etsy Shop Facebook Page

Marketing is not evil. In fact, it’s fun. If you don’t believe me, then maybe you haven’t read my ebook written specifically for work at home professionals. There are tons of low and no-cost marketing opportunities for the WAH businessperson on a budget. I know, because I’ve tried most of them! And the online and offline possibilities are nearly endless!

In this 66 page ebook, I explain how you can “trick” yourself into loving marketing (if you don’t already), how to use your passion and translate it into a megaphone for your business and how to navigate the time-sucking world of social networking.

This ebook is recently updated (8/30/2010) and has nary an affiliate link in sight (yes, I have read those ebooks and I find them just as annoying as you do!). It also has a mini marketing plan with worksheets to print out and a special section for the work at home parents out there!

A few Twitter compliments the ebook has received: “Just finished reading it! Great job keeping it short and sweet! Luv it!” “Fabulous! Great ebook!”

But why just take the words of others and their tweets? Find out for yourself right now! Only $13.99 for 66 pages of work at home marketing awesomeness – just click on the “Add to Cart” button ->

Marketing is not evil.  In fact, it’s fun. If you don’t believe me, then maybe you haven’t read my ebook written specifically for work at home professionals. There are tons of low and no-cost marketing opportunities for the WAH businessperson on a budget. I know, because I’ve tried most of them! And the online and offline possibilities are nearly endless!

In this 66 page ebook, I explain how you can “trick” yourself into loving marketing (if you don’t already), how to use your passion and translate it into a megaphone for your business and how to navigate the time-sucking world of social networking.

This ebook is recently updated (8/30/2010) and has nary an affiliate link in sight (yes, I have read those ebooks and I find them just as annoying as you do!). It also has a mini marketing plan with worksheets to print out and a special section for the work at home parents out there!

A few Twitter compliments the ebook has received: “Just finished reading it! Great job keeping it short and sweet! Luv it!” “Fabulous! Great ebook!”

But why just take the words of others and their tweets? Find out for yourself right now! Only $13.99 for 66 pages of work at home marketing awesomeness – just click on the “Add to Cart” button ->

In my free “Work At Home Marketing That Doesn’t Suck” ebook, I mention social media and even more importantly – Twitter. I know not everyone is into Twitter. In fact, I’ve received some email asking me if Twitter is really worth the time and effort. And while I am no expert on Twitter by any means, I do believe it’s a great tool for your business, if used wisely.

There are tons of Twitter resources out there. And in a few days I will post a mini Twitter tutorial about some of the applications I use, some I don’t but would still recommend and a few really good articles, webcasts and whatnot.

But, in the meantime, how can you use Twitter to promote your ebook? Here are several ways:

1) Tweet about your ebook, with a link to the sales or opt-in page. Make sure you shorten your url and also think about how to shorten your whole tweet so it will be re-tweetable. You want to make it easy for others to retweet the link, gaining more notice from more tweeps. Do not, I repeat: Do not keep tweeting about it over and over and over again. Seeing the same thing being pimped out via Twitter multiple times a day is a big turn off. Yes, you can mention it a few times, but space the tweets apart and have other interaction on your Twitter account.

Don’t forget to think of ways to change up how you tweet about your ebook. For example, I thanked contributors to my ebook and mentioned what page their quote was on, along with a link to the opt-in page of the ebook. That way, they got some recognition and could re-tweet if they wanted and others would know about the free ebook…in a less salesy, annoying way.

2) Ask for testimonials using the @ (vs. the DM). This can be before you launch or after. Doing it before you launch helps build buzz. And then you can add the testimonials to your ebook. But doing it after works as well. You can always whip up a blog post that incorporates the testimonials, further extending the ebook love on your site. Now…to build the buzz you need to use the @ so that your Twitter followers will actually see your tweets. If you use the DM (direct message) feature then only the person you sent the DM to will know about your ebook. Sort of defeats the purpose of promotion, huh?

3) Already got testimonials? Tweet them! Obviously you will have to shorten them up, or you may have to say something like “Guess what? @TinaMc loves my new ebook! Chk out what she says: <link>.” People feel better about checking things out when someone else has already done the checking for them. Especially someone they trust, like, etc.

4) Tweet the countdown to ebook launch. If it’s 21 days ’til you launch your ebook, you may not want to tweet about it every. single. day. But, you can tweet “3 weeks until “Best Sales Tactics For Home Bizs EVER” is available” and then update intermittently. The last few days up to launch, remind your followers about the launch. Again, don’t be annoying. Make sure you tweet about other stuff too. And if the book has already launched, but you plan on taking it off the market for some reason, you can countdown that too. Think “Only 2 days left for you to grab the free ebook before page goes down! <link>”

5) Make sure you stay aware of any reviews or blog posts that are written about your ebook. Then tweet about any internet coverage your ebook has received. Again, people like to see what others have to say before they dive right in, especially if we’re talking about an ebook you are selling for $$. So any reviews, mentions, ANYTHING on the web, tweet about it and add the link.

6) Ask tweeps what they think about your ebook. No, not every one of your followers will have picked up your ebook – even if it’s free – but you can still invite commentary by asking what people think and whether they have any questions. It still generates interest and buzz around your ebook.

7) Create a giveaway or contest ONLY on Twitter. Reward your followers and other tweeps with a giveaway of a certain number of your ebooks. Or offer it up as a prize (this works obviously for $$ ebooks, not freebies) to some other tweep holding a contest. People like to win stuff. And people like to re-tweet about the possibility of winning stuff.

8 ) Mention any discounts via Twitter. Better yet, offer a Twitter-only discount. If people can’t win something (see #7) they at least like to feel they are getting a sweet deal. So offering a discount is something that you can tweet about that will likely get retweeted…more promo for your ebook!!

Can you think of other ways to promote your ebook via Twitter? If so, send me an @!!

I get asked questions all the time. So it sort of dawned on me that I should throw some of these questions on here. Heck, I type up long ol’ answers. Might as well put those answers on here for the greater good, right?

So…I was asked: Should I blog? Or should I write articles? Should I do both? And if both, then what constitutes an article versus a post?

My take?

Typically, blog posts are seen as more superficial, less in-depth as compared to an article. However, you’ll find many comprehensive blog posts out there…so the short answer is that an article is typically longer and typically more in-depth with the information that it provides – but it’s not a hard and fast rule.

Articles are also usually presented in a more objective manner, while a blog post can be very personal. For example,  “While I was drinking my coffee this morning it hit me that I use French Vanilla creamer each and every day. I’m comfortable with that and I know it tastes good. But if we only try the vanilla and nothing else…(and then tie it into blog post message for readers to understand).

But really, you don’t HAVE to have any articles. (shocker!!)

Unless you plan on using article marketing.

But even in the case of article marketing, you can use blog posts to disseminate all the information you want. You can have really in-depth posts or a series of posts on a particular subject. You can post your heart out and never have a need for a separate article. Because to a certain extent, they are interchangeable.  A less personal blog post (more objective) with a minimum of 400 words can be submitted to article directories. I’ve done that and have had clients do that – taking blog posts and submitting them to Ezinearticles, Goarticles and so on. So then your blog posts are doing double work.

So, if you are promoting your ebook (or your business as a whole, for that matter) you can write short, sweet blog posts and then separate articles that are longer and more objective to submit to the directories. However, I would post those articles on your own site as well. The more content, the better. And you should have those articles doing their fair share of the work…maybe even creating a whole ‘nother ebook around a series of articles…

But you can make your blog posts serve multiple purposes. Still whip up those personal posts and let your target market know who you are as a person. But also write posts that are longer and more informative and suitable to submit to article directories.

UPDATE: The ebook below is no longer available. It has been updated, improved, added to and all that lovely goodness and is available at low cost here: http://ilnk.me/WAHmktg

The Work At Home Marketing That Doesn’t Suck ebook is finally here!

And it’s FREE!

Over 50 pages of marketing tips specifically for the work at home professional, with tips from some of your colleagues sprinkled throughout!

There’s even a bonus section written just for the parents who run home businesses!

Download it today! Free!

Just fill in the form, click on the “Subscribe” button and you will get sent a confirmation email (gotta weed out the nasty spammers) and then you will get the link to the ebook. Yes, it’s that easy!!

I remember as a kid I loved walking by the Baskin Robbins. I could always convince my mom or dad to walk inside the ice cream shop and try one (or more) of the 31 flavors. I would walk up, point to the little pink spoon on the counter and ask for a sample of some flavor. And sometimes, I would ask for more than one sample.

I also knew that my parents wouldn’t stop at the pink spoon sample. I knew it was the little nudge they needed to go full out and get a couple of scoops, some hot fudge and whipped cream. Yum!

Baskin Robbins must’ve known that suckers like me and my parents would be drawn in by the pink spoon. Who can stop at a little taste?

So…what does this have to do with ebooks?

A whole helluva lot, actually. Because even if you don’t plan on using ebooks as a passive income strategy, you can certainly use them as your pink spoon, no matter what your business.

People like samples. People like a little taste of what you got to give. And you need a way to suck them in, leaving them wanting more.

Or, at the least, letting them know that you are the authority in your field…so no reason to seek out anyone else (or any other pink spoons).

Here are a few ideas:

• - An author can provide a chapter of her latest book
• - A jewelry designer can give tips on how to care for handmade jewelry
• - A business coach can provide guidance on starting a business
• - A quiltmaker can explain how to properly wash a quilt
• - A daycare operator can provide worksheets to prepare children for school
• - A photographer can pass along the tricks of the trade on taking pictures on the fly
• - A real estate agent can help prospective homebuyers understand the financing process

Starting to get the idea? Any ebook can be written that will provide more information about you and your business, or show the expertise you have in your field. It’s a little taste of your work…it’s your little pink spoon. Okay, maybe not as tasty as Baskin Robbins…but you get the idea. Set up your sample bar, give people a little taste and they’ll come back for more.

]]> http://tinamcallister.com/http:/tinamcallister.com/does-your-business-have-a-pink-spoon/feed/ 0 http://tinamcallister.com/http:/tinamcallister.com/whipping-up-a-little-controversy-with-the-wahm-agent/ http://tinamcallister.com/http:/tinamcallister.com/whipping-up-a-little-controversy-with-the-wahm-agent/#comments Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:09:02 +0000 Tina http://tinamcallister.com/?p=113

So…some of the best press releases whip up a bit of controversy as opposed to just blatantly promoting a new product or service (or some other “average” reason for a press release in the first place). So when I was writing up my press release for my new ebook series, this is what I came up with. But of course, this is the “tame” version.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Current Real Estate Market Perfect Time for Work At Home Moms to Become Real Estate Agents

While most experts are hyping the depressed real estate market across the United States, there are a few optimistic real estate professionals who look at this time as an exciting chance to get back to basics and cull the competition as the less dedicated real estate agents flock to other careers. Author of The WAHM Agent, Tina McAllister, claims that moms who have ever considered entering the real estate industry should do so now. “There is no better time,” Ms. McAllister states. “Instead of the real estate frenzy of a couple years ago where everyone and their uncle became licensed and had clients fall into their laps, this current market is the perfect time to learn the real estate market from the ground up.”

In her WAHM Agent series, Ms. McAllister helps guide moms who want to work from home as real estate agents navigate their way through becoming licensed and finding a broker. Logical appointment tips are balanced out with marketing ideas specifically geared for Mommy real estate agents. The books also provide samples of sales letters and other marketing materials from the author’s real estate career.

Why a book targeting Mommy real estate agents? Ms. McAllister says, “Many mothers look to real estate as a career where they can make a decent income and have a fairly flexible schedule. They want to have a healthy balance between family and work. And I truly believe that a Mom real estate agent can build a successful real estate business while raising her family.” She points out that there are still plenty of buyers looking for homes to purchase and that there are foreclosures and short sales for a new agent to cut her teeth on. “It really is an excellent time for a woman who truly wants to build a successful real estate business over time to enter the industry and learn the ins and outs of real estate.”

Packed with real-life examples of Ms. McAllister’s own struggle to balance family and real estate, the WAHM Agent ebooks provide a unique insight into how working from home and prospecting for clients as a “Mommy Agent” can be fun and integrated into every-day life. “I took my baby to appointments and my clients loved him!” Ms. McAllister states. “But just going through each day as a Mommy, I was finding clients and building my business without even realizing it. I never even thought of children playdates as a way to network…but it is…and a great way at that!”

Tina McAllister is owner of Beyond The Pen LLC, a full service writing company. While Ms. McAllister is actively licensed as a real estate agent working with exclusive clients, she is expanding her writing business and specializing in ghostwriting books for busy professionals. She also runs WAHM Biz Tips, a website providing business and marketing tips to work at home moms.

For more information on The WAHM Agent ebook series, visit www.TheWAHMAgent.com.

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My less-tame version of this controversial stance on entering the real estate industry? Here goes:

1)  Moms make great agents. Especially moms who have a partner bringing a steady income into the home. That way the mom can concentrate on building her real estate business without stressing out too much about that first golden commission check.

2) In the current real estate industry, the fly-by-night real estate agents who swooped in during the market frenzy and had clients drop in their laps? Most of those have flown the coop. They can’t hack the cyclical nature of the real estate market (and it is cyclical…always has been) and haven’t developed the skills necessary to build a successful business for the long haul. Translation: competition between agents is down.

3) There are things to be learned, and time enough to learn! In a down cycle, yeah, you’ll work hard. But you learn the basics of prospecting, marketing and building a LONG TERM real estate business. You learn how to truly find clients and KEEP them. You learn the business inside and out as you really work (oh my gosh, actual work! gasp!) to earn your money.

4) Many of the successful women in real estate have been at it for YEARS. They started when the kids were young and kept at it. Over time, they built a successful business. None will say it was easy. But I bet you that 99%  (or more) will say it was worth it.

Don’t believe me? Think I’m full of crap?  Bring it!

So…I already admitted that I didn’t create a cool, eye-catching, lid-pooping html email for my email marketing campaign. Nope. I went for straight text, baby!

Want to see what I wrote? I won’t pretend it’s a masterpiece. Because it’s not. But it gets the point across.

Here it is:

As a real estate professional, you know how important it is to establish credibility with your prospects. In this age of information, you want to be on top of your game! You want to be the one who people turn to as the authority within your real estate niche.

Whether you work with investors, first-time buyers or another specific niche, you need to establish your expertise! And there is no better way to do so than to author an ebook!

An ebook is…

 - A fantastic marketing tool

 - A terrific way to establish your expertise

 - Easy to update as information changes

From 5-page e-reports to 100-page ebooks, you can market your real estate business and present yourself as a top-notch Real Estate Professional and Author.

How does it work?

 - Determine your topic based on your real estate niche

 - Create an outline

 - Compile your information (notes, urls, research)

 - Hire a professional ghostwriter who understands the industry and can produce quality  ebooks  

Who am I? 

I am Tina McAllister.  My professional writing, editing and ghostwriting skills have served several other professionals in the industry. I specialize in writing ebooks for busy real estate professionals such as yourself. I have ghostwritten books on everything from mortgage professional profiles to HUD homes. I have edited articles for professionals submitting to REALTOR Magazine and written marketing copy for both web and print.

Email me today and take a step closer to becoming an author and expert in your niche!

info@beyondthepen.com

P.S. For a short period of time, I am offering a discount from my rate of $20 per page. Contact me about your project and mention this email and you will receive the discount rate of $15 per page!

www.BeyondThePen.com

www.TinaMcAllister.com

*If you would rather not receive an email from me, no problem! Just hit the reply button and type “unsubscribe” in the subject line* 

By all means, rip it to shreds if you like. Or, make suggestions for the next email I send out (which will be in a few weeks). I’m listening…

Okay…so you want to know more about the email marketing campaign that took FOREVER. Brace yourself. Here’s the nitty-gritty…

Yes, I did my research. I looked into Contant Contact and iContact and a few other online services that produce email marketing campaigns with beautiful html messages with all the bells and whistles. They are also FREAKIN’ EXPENSIVE.

If I had a smaller list, then maybe, just maybe I would consider one of these services. But I already knew that I had a list of 50,000+ emails for real estate professionals in Arizona alone. With that amount, I’d be looking at a few hundred dollars a month for a service. No thanks.

So instead, I used a software. It’s called Atomic Mail Sender and the site looks so much cooler than the interface of the actual program. But it was easy enough to set up, import the email addresses and then get the message typed up and all that.

What I went with is bare bones, people. And depending on your business, this may or may not work for you. HTML messages are pretty. They have color and graphics and snappy taglines. Me likey.

But I don’t need all the bells and whistles. I’m a writer. And really, my writing needs to speak for itself. No amount of html prettiness can clean up sloppy grammar and piss-poor writing.

So we’re talking a text message. Yep…a plain ol’ text email with a little about me and what I can do.

And I didn’t track the emails. You can pick your jaw up off the floor now.

I really don’t care about conversion rates and who opened what and how long they looked at it and all that crap. What it boils down to is that some people will look at my email and come up with one (or several conclusions:

- What the hell is this crap? And why did I get it? (hitting delete button)

- I don’t even work in real estate anymore. The market sucks! (hitting delete button)

- Well, this is one ugly piece o’ crap email. Boring! (hitting delete button)

- I don’t need this. My marketing ROCKS! (hitting delete button)

- Well, that’s a good idea…providing informational products and establishing my expertise in my niche…but I 1) don’t want to spend money on that, 2) don’t have any money to spend on that, 3) can do it myself (setting the email aside to think about it)

- Holy crap! You know, that could really work for my business. I should look more into this… (hitting the reply button and asking for more information)

Obviously, I am most interested in those Holy Crappers. I can help them. I can help grow their business. I can make them authors and experts. Yes, it can be done!

But I also want to get to know those Good Ideaers…because at some point, if they truly realize how great providing detailed information to prospects and establishing one’s self as an authority  can be for their business, well, they’re probably going to want my help at some point because they will come to the realization that 1) they need to spend some money on marketing materials and they want that money spent WISELY, 2) they are going to realize that in order to build their business they MUST spend money on marketing and 3) they are going to realize that even if they do have an innate writing ability, they won’t have the time.

So, no, I didn’t track emails and such…but again, I don’t need all those stats and junk. I just want to my peeps – my future clients!!

Wanna know what my email said?? Check in tomorrow!