|
|
 |
| www.itsvirtuallydone.com |
An ezine of invaluable business tips for independent business professionals.
|
In
This Issue: Welcome
|
|
|
At my women entrepreneur meeting this month, one of the speakers was a professional organizer. Now I'm pretty organized, but this woman put me to shame. The pack rat in me was squirming in my chair. The talk really inspired me. So just like new gym clothes help people get to the gym, I bought a label maker to get my office better organized. In the process of changing my filing system to be by subject rather than alphabetical, which is better for me, I purged a lot of unnecessary stuff. I rewarded myself by creating a new beautiful label often. Of course organization is a reward in itself, is it not? |
One
thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have
to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely
interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else. |
Get the Publicity that You Deserve
Have you and your business been featured in your local or area paper yet? You know that that you have a valuable service to offer, or why else would you be in business? It's time to spread the word.
I've been fortunate enough to have my business featured in the local paper twice in the first 15 months of being in business. Here are the factors that helped make this happen:
- Preparation
- Persistence
- Angle
- Flexibility
I started contacting my local paper within a few months of opening my business. As a local resident of 14 years and in the first year of my business, I fit their model of who they want to feature. The editor agreed to "add me to the list." Although I was encouraged, I had worked in television production before and I knew that this "promise" meant nothing.
Preparation
For me, preparation meant creating a professional looking website, getting some articles published online with links to my site, and doing some research about my unique profession. I knew that when I contacted the media that I wanted to make it easy for them to say "yes." Without a brick and mortar storefront, I knew that I had to try harder to appear credible and newsworthy.
Persistence
If you remember that writers and editors get tons of ideas from people, you'll realize that they may need to be reminded about you and your idea. When I received a favorable reception to my pitch, I decided to remind the editor once a month and I did. Each reminder email had a new approach. I would include links to articles that I've written, or articles about my unique profession in CNN or Time online. Those names caught his attention!
Angle
Let's face it: virtual assistance is an emerging profession that creates interest. I think that the coaching profession is similarly cutting edge; not everyone knows about it. But if you are a lawyer or a CPA, how do you generate interest from the media? I don't have all the answers, but you need an angle. Are you also the president of your local women's group? Do you target a particular population and have a compelling story about it (e.g., You're a CPA who helped a local cat shelter find homes for 100 cats.)? Do you work with a local charity and donate your time to them? Be creative.
Flexibility
Can you be ready for an interview and picture on short notice? Both times that I was contacted by the newspaper staff, they needed the story very soon. Interviews were short and so to make sure that the content would be accurate, I provided lots of background information in writing. Photographers too needed my picture within a few hours of contacting me. Sometimes getting chosen does have to do with being at the right place at the right time.
Keep in Mind
Note the difference between a business profile that may include your phone number and website and a news story, which probably won't. A news story will probably be more about your profession or the story angle. As they say, any kind of publicity is good.
Don't expect a lot of new clients from one little story in the paper. It's good exposure, nonetheless, and be sure to add it to your website.
You may be scared to contact the press: don't be. They have tons of space to fill and they want an easy, interesting story. Help them out by doing your homework and you may be seeing your photo in your local paper before too long.
Shopping Cart for Your Website
One of the greatest ways to generate passive income on your website is to sell stuff. The easiest way to do that is to create a shopping cart. The kind you need to get the job done depends on a lot of factors. Need help?
For more information, please contact me at: kristy@itsvirtuallydone.com.
the more I have of it. -- Benjamin Franklin
The goal of marketing is to get known for what you do. I already have the personalized shirts, but what other way could I promote my business easily? At the IVAA convention in Chicago last year, someone mentioned a Web Decal. Mine is vinyl and clings to the inside of my car's windshield with subtlety. It says what I do: Virtual Office Administration; and it has my website address. Get your web decal at: webdecal.com.
Next month look for
the following topics:
--Say Yes To
Your Dreams
--Ebook Covers
|
Kristy
Schnabel, |
|
 |
