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Hi All!
Well, it's Monday! That means we're going to review what another Adland member is doing online and see if we can help.
Here's Heather's message;
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My sister-in-law approached me about a year ago to try these skin care products that she was selling. I wasn't really interested because despite the fact that I'm all tattooed, I am freakishly protective of my face and what I put on it. (I can always hide my tats under clothing.)
Anyway, I agreed to try the stuff because in the 16yrs I've been with my husband she has NEVER asked me for a favor. Long story short....I feel in love with the stuff and have continued to use it.
About 3mos ago she tells me that if I become a consultant that I can get a BIG discount on everything that I purchase. At first I was skeptical because I am not a salesperson and really wasn't interested in becoming a salesperson. She says don't worry, you don't have to sell anything, just sign on as a consultant and you get the discount, if I decide to try to sell the stuff...fine, if not, I still get the discount.
Ok, I sign up. Money gets VERY tight around here so I decide I'm gonna try to sell the stuff, (This is in the beginning of Sept) but I have NO idea what I'm doing and I'm up all night making and printing brochures and flyers to hand out and searching the web for cheap advertising...........HELP!!! Almost 30 days later and I'm just as lost as on the 1st of the month....
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I posted back to Heather and asked her to tell me her interests, in order of priority, and whether she's comfortable chatting online. This is her reply;
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1) Family-would have nothing w/o them.
2) Home Decorating-want people to feel comfortable in my home and want them to come back.
3) Skin Care-Your face is the first thing people see
4) The tattoos...sorry, I'm addicted.
I thing I'm pretty comfortable chatting online. I'm a quite the talker.
Ok, now I'm ready for the idea.
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First, a bit of explanation, okay?
Over the years, the two methods of marketing and selling that people have become familiar with are geographic marketing and demographic marketing.
Geographic is like saying you'll sell to your family and neighbors and coworkers and everyone in your local circle of friends.
Demographic marketing is choosing your customers by things like gender, income, age, etc. For example, in your industry, it would be like saying your "ideal" customer is a female, 18-45, middle to upper class income.
But, there's a type of marketing that's more effective than either geographic or demographic... and that's psychographic marketing.
Psychographic marketing means seeking people based on common interests.
Now, here's an example. My daughter is drop dead gorgeous and has done some work as an alternative model. She has one facial piercing and wears funky hair like dreds and dolly wigs. Now, if she was selling a cosmetic product, most "40-somethings" wouldn't buy from her. Why? Simply because she looks "different" from them. They can't identify with her. They don't click.
But -- the people that are into the alternative scene and piercing and funky hair -- they will buy anything she says she uses because they admire her and are in awe of what she's accomplished.
What I'm going to suggest for you, I'm suggesting because you are young and love to chat online. If you had told me that you're a bit uncomfortable chattering online, I'd suggest a different technique. But I think this will work for you.
1) Start a blog.
You can get one free at blogger.com. Name it something personal, like heather-m.blogspot.com or something that says it's "you" not a commercial site.
Use your blog, not as a diary, but as a place to share neat stuff that you find online that's related to your interests.
For example, one day you might post a really neat tattoo site. Another day you might share a recipe. Yet another day you might find a site that has great home decorating tips.
An example of a great blog is Seth Godin's at SethGodin.com. (click his head) You'll notice that he doesn't rattle on about his cat and his in-laws like many bloggers do (lol) but shares neat stuff. And people read it like crazy.
Don't feel like you can't be personal, because you can. Just remember that people read stuff that's helpful to them and come back for more. Be that - and do mix in your own sense of personal style and your sense of humor, etc. Just be YOU sharing stuff you like that other people that share interests with you you might also like.
Link to your Arbonne site on your blog. (I'm glad to see you got your own domain, by the way. Good move!) The blog allows you to create a list of links on one side. Just mention that you use this stuff because you love it... include a small photo of the product if you can, and then a link to your domain.
2) Promote your blog.
In the book Peter was telling you about, there's a list of the best blog directories and portals online. You just "submit" to them just like submitting to a search engine. Submit your blog after it's been running for a few days so it's not empty.
3) Writing
Then, follow the advice Peter gave you about writing for promotion. It doesn't have to be a chore if you write stuff that interests you. For example, share a decorating tip, or share a recipe you like. Also, write things you know about tattoo care.
They don't have to be long. 500-700 words is plenty, and even 350-400 is okay. Make them like conversations over your kitchen table with a friend - sharing stuff.
In the book Peter was telling you about, you'll find a list of places to promote them to get traffic. Follow the instructions inside, and be sure to link your articles to both your blog and your domain.
4) Bring in Adsense
When your blog has been up and running for a while, apply for Google Adsense. They'll give you a snippet of code that you can add to the sidebar of your blog to earn income from external advertisers.
So, for example, if you post to your blog one day with some tips on what to do if you get sunburn on a tattoo, or what to do if you have dry flaky skin on a tattoo -- you'll see ads appear related to the content of your posts, no matter what you post.
Let's say a visitor reads your advice about what cream to put on a flaking tattoo. And, in the sidebar they see a merchant selling that cream. They click. You get paid.
5) Getting a full website.
Down the road, you can upgrade to a full site that showcases all your interests and allows you to offer more content. But, because you're a young Mom and finances get tight, I wouldn't recommend you do that until you start making some sales.
You will develop a following of people that share a lot of your interests through your blog. Blogs are used more by the young crowd than the older one. (Before anyone protests, I know older people use blogs too, but the majority of bloggers are still young)
You'll attract young, family oriented people that care about their home and family - and happen to love tattoos. Psychographic selling. There are millions of people that share those interests with you. A blog will allow them to start finding you.
TO DO:
Keep in touch here. This is your thread. Come back and show us your blog so we can give you feedback and coach you along.
If you have questions, do ask. I've set up blogs for several people so I can help if you have questions.
And for everyone else -- your thoughts and contributions are welcome. By interacting, we can help each other.
: )
Linda
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