The Dream Continues

Since the day my article appeared in the New York Times on Memorial Day weekend, I've had so many wonderful emails from people who not only want to utilize or inquire about my services, but from others who were inspired, wanted to share their stories, or just wanted to say congratulations. It's amazing how one "event" can make such a great difference in affecting one's life, and the lives of others. The incredible journey has continued with the airing of ABC News' "Nightline" on Monday, July 13. The crew did a wonderful job, and I can't express how touched I am to have been honored in this way. Once again, thanks to all who watched, and reached out. The point to remember: you just never know when life will throw you a blessing (or two :-).

Sometimes Dreams Do Come True, and They Did, in The New York Times of All Places!

It's funny how life works. You go along, feeling lucky enough to have a talent, and to be able to do what you enjoy for a living, and you think that's enough. I love my writing, and feel privileged to have enjoyed the flexibility of working as a freelancer all these years. Then that one day comes along that you never imagined...like something from a fairy tale, and your life changes forever. I had that opportunity this Memorial Day weekend, when I was featured, in all my glory, on the front cover of The New York Times real estate section.

A client of mine found my story interesting - so interesting he said he wanted to pitch it to the paper's editor. I smiled and thanked him, feeling flattered that he felt that way, but thinking inside, oh come on now! Well, a month later I got the call, from a reporter who said the whole department found my story fascinating. Me, yes me. From there it's been a dream, and a whirlwind. I hope you enjoy my story as much as they did. I am still flying high, and still pinching myself.

Marketing Communication Musts - The Basics

Marketing Communications is a vital element in, and the offspring of, a company's or entrepreneur's overall Marketing plan. Once you establish who you are, what you offer, what your unique value proposition is, who your competitors are, and who your target market is, THEN you can focus on an effective marketing communications strategy. Here are some basic tips beyond that to get you thinking:

Budget Wisely: Create a "Marcom" budget and stick to it, because costs can go on and on if you don't. Define what the most important Marcom activities are for you, which most likely should be:

a) A company presentation, your first priority. Even if you don’t have a website, you can always go to meetings with a good presentation.
b) A website: A must in today's business world. This is your public presence for all to see.
c) Public Relations: do you really need it right now? If you are in the R&D phase – probably not.
d) Marketing Materials: If your company is a start-up you are going to print & re-print again due to new developments. Print on data sheets (easier to replace). Print digitally – it’s cheaper.
e) Trade Shows: Determine what trade shows you can;t afford to miss and budget ahead of time.

Brand Yourself: When considering your image, be creative, check out what your competition is saying/doing, and think about what VALUE you bring your target audience. Decide on a message, and stick to it. If you have chosen a corporate identity and message – keep it unified in ALL of your communications. All your materials should look and say the same thing in one way or another. That's what successful branding is all about.

Hire a Professional: When all is said and done, you have a business to run, so leave the "Marcom" messaging to the experts.

Social Networking, Marketing, or More Work Than It's Worth?

Ok, so if I didn't have enough to do running a business, a household, and dealing with all the many other ongoing responsibilities of life...enter the phenomenon of social networking/marketing. Don't get me wrong - God bless the Internet for its ability to connect uus and provide unlimited opportunity (especially for a writer like me who now enjoys another whole facet of her business - website content writing!). But on the flip side - there now seems to be an inordinate amount of time spent on updating, chatting, blogging, searching, commenting, the list goes on and on - just to get yourself out there in front of cyber-strangers!

I admit it ... I'm on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Squidoo, Savor the Success, Ladies Who Launch, TeeBeeDee, and the barrage of other social networking sites out there. Google me and you'll find me all over the place. The truth is, I belabored for hours over creating profiles, making friends, viewing profiles, responding to questions, not knowing just how much an investment of time and energy it would be. The end result? Some great new relationships, and some still questionable. If it helps, I did get a few new copywriting gigs from putting myself out there, so that in itself is proof that the "system" really works. Other than that, I'd suggest "budgeting" your time for social marketing, and really focusing on which outlets you feel are best suited to you and your business. Sure, you can be out there and all over the place, but is the traffic you're attracting really valuable and meaningful? We all have our limits - you decide yours.