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The Data Driven Payoff

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Because the February-March session sold out,  I have been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on three Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

As Freelance consultants,  we know that information is nearly as valuable to us as our skill set.  Information leads us to make smart decisions about all aspects of business: what services to offer,  identifying target client groups,  determining a profitable business model,  understanding how to market our services,  gaining a competitive edge.  That good information is integral to all that we do comes as no surprise,  but until now there was no scientific evidence to support that belief.

New research done by Erik Brynjolfsson,  economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Business,  Heekyung Kim,  graduate student in economics at MIT Sloan School and Lorin Hitt,  economist at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business proves that good information really does put money in your pocket.

The three studied 179 large businesses and found that when decisions enacted were based on reliable data,  companies achieved a 5+ % higher productivity level than businesses that relied more on “experience and intuition” for decision making.  The higher productivity could not be attributed to other factors,  such as the use of more sophisticated technology.

In the study,  data driven decision making was not primarily based on merely collecting data,  but was closely linked to how the data was utilized.  In the April 24, 2011 New York Times,  Mr. Brynolfsson stated that business decisions based on data and analysis “have huge implications for competitiveness and growth”.

Thomas Davenport,  professor of information technology and management at Babson College in Massachusetts supported the conclusions reached regarding data driven business decisions in a book written with Jeanne Harris and Robert Morison, “Analytics at Work: Smarter Results” (2010),  concluding that companies that rely heavily on data analysis are likely to outperform those that do not.

The big question is,  which data do we choose to collect and analyze and how do we best apply it?  Curating data is big business.  “The biggest change facing corporations is the explosion of data”,  said David Grossman,  technology analyst at Stifel Nicolaus in the April 24 NY Times.  “The best business is in helping customers analyze and manage all that data”.

How does a Freelancer decide what to do with data available to us?  I propose that data presented here would guide readers with excellent proficiency in mathematics and possessed of an advanced degree in the subject to become data analysts!  All others might take a look at our P & L statements and examine gross revenue and fixed and variable expenses and analyze how much it costs to generate income and what can be trimmed to make the bottom line better.

Speaking of revenue,  do some research on the services that your target clients are contracting for these days.  Are you retaining clients and signing new ones, too?  How does your 2Q 2011 active client roster compare to 2Q 2010?  Do you need to tweak your business model to maintain your competitive edge,  or might it be wiser to seek a strategic partnership?

To help figure things out,  do a free online search of Google’s Key Word Tool or Wonder Wheel and type in a descriptive phrase of your core service.  How many prospects in your locale are searching for what you sell?  Next,  type in a phrase that describes the service you think might interest clients and see how many local searches it gets.  There you have it,  data driven analysis to guide your business decisions.

Use Google Analytics to track hits to your website and report which pages receive the most attention.  You can correlate that data to the number of follow-up requests you receive and  the conversion of that follow-up to new business.  Make further use of that data to evaluate the efficacy of your website and learn how you can enhance this important marketing tool.  Will adding multimedia to your website be useful?  Or will adding pages to give more information do the trick?  Or maybe you should just simplify the text and clarify and strengthen your message?  Listen to the data and find your answers.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Optimize Online Multimedia

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Because the February-March session sold out,  I have been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on three Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

A picture is worth 1,000 words and a good online multimedia presentation can help prospective clients connect the dots on why it’s smart to bring you in.  To that end,  many Freelancers,  small business owners  and countless other organizations and individuals have added video to their websites or posted online. 

Unfortunately,  many presentations do not achieve the expected objectives.  It’s necessary to think strategically about how online multimedia might draw in prospects and promote business and additionally,  determine what aspect of your talents or services will do the trick.

What can you say and do in three minutes or less that will persuade prospects to follow up?  Should you demonstrate a product or discuss a service,  show yourself in action as you conduct a workshop or give 3-4 pieces of advice that will validate your understanding of client needs?

Whatever you decide,  deliver a simple,  uncomplicated experience for viewers to ensure that your message is understood.  Produce a presentation that focuses on what’s in it for the customer and you’ll have their attention.  Be aware that a little multimedia goes a long way.  In other words,  use audio,  visual and animation effects judiciously and always in service of your business strategy and customer priorities.  Make sure your content delivers what prospects want to know.

Hire a professional videographer to ensure presentation quality.  Expect to pay $500.00 – $1500.00,  depending on what you do and who you work with.  Get references and see examples of their work before signing a contract.  You want expert production,  lighting that flatters and flawless editing.  Remember to confirm that your website has the bandwidth necessary to support video.

Location,  location  Place the video link on your website home page at eye level,  so those with smaller screens will not need to scroll down to find the link.

Control  Give website visitors the choice to opt in to your multimedia.  Avoid presentations that play automatically.  Indicate the length of the video and include play,  pause and stop buttons.  Make the viewing experience interactive and easy.

Context  Let potential viewers know what they’ll learn from your video clip before they click “play”.  Do not leave it to your audience to figure out its purpose and how they will benefit from taking the time to have a look and listen.

Short & sweet  Produce a video that runs no longer than three minutes.  The clip is an hors d’oeuvre and not a banquet.  Your objective is to whet the appetite for more of what you know and do.  Keep your message clear and easy to absorb as you demonstrate a core capability or service and spell out what’s in it for the viewer when they work with you.

Call to action  Tell viewers to take the action that you want them to take.  As you close the presentation,  advise viewers to contact you for more information.  Tell them how to leave a comment,   order your book or sign up for your newsletter.

Distribution deals  Upload your video at Tube Mogul http://tubemogul.com , a free site that will not only send your link to a wide range of social media and other hosting sites,  but will also allow you to track the number of views,  clicks and comments received.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Making Use of Online Video

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Because the February-March session sold out,  I’ve been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on three Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register,  please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

Communicating with prospective clients (and others) by way of video has become an accepted practice and the phenomenon continues to grow by leaps and bounds.  Digital media tracker ComScore reports that YouTube had 12.2 billion videos viewed by 129 million unique visitors in November 2010 and growth shows no sign of abating.

In addition to adding a video clip to one’s own website or posting video on YouTube,  nearly all major social media sites provide the option to add either photos or video content.  So maybe you’re sorting through a decision tree,  trying to figure out your place in the multimedia revolution?  Here are four ways that video can make sense for your business:

Demo a new product or service

Create a video to demonstrate a new product or introduce your new service—or make a  personalized case for what you’ve been doing all along.  The video will allow you to show how your product works or explain how and why your services bring important advantages to your target market. 

Initiate a conversation with prospects as you tell a story that illustrates when and why it is wise to use your product or service.  Describe key features and benefits and demonstrate how they will make life or work less complicated and expensive or more effective and rewarding.  Define your target audience by describing who will benefit most by using the product or service.  Differentiate your video from traditional advertising by including a viewer comments feature and making the video about sharing relevant information and not a sales pitch.

Smarty-pants

Maybe you wrote a book,  or perhaps you gave the keynote address at a prestigious conference?  Can you obtain the footage from the ceremony when you stepped on stage to accept a coveted award and make a speech?

Or maybe you’d like to share your business acumen and offer prospective clients three or four pieces of valuable advice that will stoke their appetite for more of your expertise?  The right video will present you as the go-to guy or girl who knows how to solve problems and get the job done.

Promote an event

Use a video promo to create excitement around and build the audience for an important event that will showcase you,  whether it’s a book signing for your latest tome or the seminar that you’ll conduct.  Include highlights from a previous event,  with testimonials from those who attended.  Tape the proceedings of this year’s event to provide juicy content for the following year.

Create buzz

The best online videos avoid an overt sales pitch.  A clever video can do wonders for your reputation and your business,  especially if it goes viral.  At the very least,  a well-conceived and produced video clip will raise your profile and create good word-of-mouth for your new service,  your expertise or your upcoming event.  Next week,  we’ll get into video best practices.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Tweet to Build Buzz for Your Business

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Because the February-March session sold out,  I have been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on three Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

As you develop strategies to promote your services,  be mindful that the goal is to package yourself in a way that makes clients feel that hiring you is a smart move.  Keeping your name visible by publishing good content across various media outlets and platforms is a strategy that will support your goal. 

When under consideration for an assignment,  you want to be certain that an internet search of your name brings up links to postings that demonstrate your bona fides.  The savvy Freelancer creates an online footprint that portrays a knowledgeable and capable professional,  one worthy of trust and lucrative contracts. 

Today,  we’ll take a closer look at how Twitter can support your online presence and brand,  help you build relationships,  connect with peers and portray yourself as a familiar and trusted source of useful information.  Let’s start the process by considering these three questions:

  • Who do you want to reach?

Since your tweets will focus on business,  it’s  safe to say that you’re looking to connect with current and potential clients and perhaps also peers with whom you do not directly compete.

  • Will your tweets be interactive?

Will your stream be public  and will you allow followers to post comments?  I suggest that you say yes to both and post comments to other’s tweets as well.

  • Do you have time to create good content?

In the allotted 140 characters,  it’s important that your tweets be relevant and timely and a conversation,  not a one-way sales pitch.

In the beginning,  try spending a few days  following the stream of someone whose tweets you find relevant,  then join conversations and answer questions.  When you feel ready,  start tweeting. 

Give updates on conferences you’ll attend,  on items in your newsletter,  on the workshop you’ll conduct.  So that your stream is not just all about you,  share links to articles you think your group might like to read and re-tweet interesting updates that you’ve received.

When it comes to followers,  focus on quality over quantity.  Your objective is to connect with key influencers and not everyone.  Share relevant stories that highlight your expertise.  Be helpful and informative.  Make a point of commenting on what others are doing.  Give your brand a voice and personality.

Tweeting is an ideal way for in-the-moment info sharing and that also includes listening.  In other words,  Twitter can play a role in market research and competitive intelligence.  Use Twitter to learn what your clients say about services they find useful and are willing to pay for;  about new trends and priorities that may help you identify potential business opportunities;  and to learn what competitors are doing and saying. 

Visit http://search.twitter.com to find out what’s being said about topics in your industry.  Add the Company Buzz app to your LinkedIn profile and find out what’s being said about your business.  You’ll be able to view tweets and learn the top key words associated with searches of your company.  Use what you learn to refine your brand and sharpen your sales pitch.

While you’re on LinkedIn you can also add the Tweets app to your profile.  This app will allow you to tweet,  reply and re-tweet all from LinkedIn and will also display your latest tweets on your page.

Along the way you’ll no doubt make some Twitter friends,  but remember that true relationship building requires personal contact and virtual connections are not necessarily reliable.  So use Twitter to encourage face-to-face activities. 

Invite your group to networking meet-ups and to your workshops and other speaking engagements.  In return,  be sure that you likewise support the activities of those in your group.

Social media platforms can make your name and business activities familiar to many and might even lead you to discover new business opportunities.  Consider it “free” advertising,  as you let the online community know of your capabilities.  Just remember to factor in the cost of your time.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Twitter for Your Freelance Practice

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Because the February-March session sold out,  I have been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on Mondays May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

I don’t know about you,  but I’ve made a point of avoiding Twitter.  It appeared to be a total waste of time,  unless you plan to either start a revolution or take your band on tour.  Tweeting on subjects like what I decide to have for lunch is way too much information sharing.

Although it’s been easy to dismiss Twitter as just so much noise,  the microblogging platform is nevertheless rapidly gaining traction among businesses.  A convincing case can possibly be made for using Twitter to benefit a Freelance consulting practice.  So maybe I should reconsider?

Twitter is now five years old and growth trends for both business and personal use are upward, despite a reported 60%  dropout rate among users.  According to the tech marketing research firms BIA/Kelsey and ConStat,  nearly 20%  of businesses currently include Twitter in online marketing strategies and nearly 50%  indicate that in 2011 they plan to increase the use of online social media as a means to connect with current and potential customers.

Data from both research firms show that newer businesses and younger business owners are more likely to embrace online social media,  rather than traditional print media,  and to incorporate its use in marketing and customer outreach.  Businesses less than seven years old are more likely to use Twitter and less likely to advertise in the Yellow Pages,  for example.  Money is also a determining factor,  since other than time spent updating content (and time is money),  online social marketing is free.

But how effective is Twitter and the other social media platforms in helping to spin straw into gold and generate billable hours?  I’ve read a handful of anecdotal success stories,  but in my experience LinkedIn has not brought me a single contract in four years of active membership.  Come to think of it,  two years of blogging hasn’t brought me any money,  either (but hope springs eternal).  However,  there is a prospective client who follows my posts and has complimented me on what I produce.  There’s  no contract yet,  though (hint, hint!).

One thing I do know is that it’s entirely possible to build a lucrative consulting practice without either ad budget or Twitter,  LinkedIn,  blog or newsletter.  The most successful Freelance consultants with whom I’m acquainted—client lists to die for!—spend no money on promoting their services and have no social media presence.  An internet search of their names yields nothing.  That’s because in our business,  it’s not only who you know,  but also who knows you.  The highest paid Freelancers are known by the right people and they’ve successfully monetized those relationships.

Most of us will never dwell in that Valhalla,  but we know that Freelance consulting is a referral business.  We know that  to keep the cash flowing,  we must continually demonstrate to those who matter that we are capable,  reliable experts who will get the job done every time.  To be successful,  we must create and sustain positive word-of-mouth  (always the best form of advertising),  primarily by doing a first-rate job for our clients.

Beyond that,  we must establish good relationships with those who possess the money and motive to contract for our services.  The smartest Freelancers know to build relationships  before  they are needed. 

In theory,  social media help narrow the gap between the regular folks and the fortunate few by allowing us to share expertise and information,  announce our successes,  learn what is being said about the types of services that we provide and learn how to effectively communicate our value.  We have a forum in which to portray ourselves as  a knowledgeable,  trustworthy,  familiar known quantity,  which is precisely what our highest paid colleagues have done.  We also learn to get smarter about how we do business overall.

So maybe tweeting might be worth your time?  Next week,  we’ll discuss practical tips for how to create buzz for your business by way of Twitter. 

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Present With Pizzazz

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In this column I have often urged those who want to establish themselves as experts in their chosen field to find speaking and teaching opportunities.  Getting out in front of an audience is a time-tested way to identify and impress potential clients and referral sources,  a good way to drum up business.  So maybe it’s time to review a few useful presentation techniques that will make you feel more confident and therefore more likely to pursue this strategy.

Keep it simple and tell a story

The best speakers know that the more complex the topic,  the more important to make it easy for the audience to understand.  Distill a complicated message into fewer words.  Include a personal anecdote or story that illustrates a key point you’re trying to make.  A story makes your presentation more compelling by placing the message into a context that is relevant to the audience.  A story paints a picture and helps the audience make sense of the topic.

You are the star

You are the speaker and the stage belongs to you.  Do not allow slides to upstage your talk.  How do you do that?  By not using your slides as a crutch.  By not posting your entire talk onto slides.  Avoid presenting a boat load of text-heavy slides that you read from,  instead of speaking to and connecting with those who came out for you.  

On your slides include important charts and graphs,  key statistics,  major talking points and relevant visuals that support and advance your message.  Practice your presentation often and get to know your material,  so you won’t be overly dependent on slides.

Engage and involve your audience

Most of all,  give the right talk.  Know what the audience expects you to address.  The person who schedules your talk can help you choose a topic and give you the heads-up re: big questions that audience members may want answered.  To keep your audience engaged,  pose a question or two at some point in your presentation.  Also,  be willing to answer questions as you go along and make your presentation more of a conversation with the audience.

We deliver

While good content is essential,  that alone will not win over an audience.  Body language and delivery also matter.  Audiences size up and judge a speaker within the first three minutes of a presentation.  Be sure to project confidence,  expertise,  good humor and approachability.  Smile,  make eye contact and use a pleasant,  yet authoritative,  tone of voice.  Show appropriate enthusiasm and passion for your subject matter.  Let the audience know that you like being up there speaking.  

How to get to Carnegie Hall

Practice and practice some more.  It takes a lot of work to make a presentation look effortless.  Skilled presenters give the impression that their clever ad libs and convincing responses to questions are all ex tempore,  but nothing could be further from the truth.  The fact is,  successful presentations are built on lots of preparation and rehearsal time: wordsmithing what may sound too complex or unclear,  deciding what text and visuals to include on slides,  how to integrate the slides with the talk,  anticipating questions and formulating good answers.  Read your talk out loud and record your voice,  to make sure that you pace your delivery appropriately.

An effective presentation should inform, educate and entertain.  Make that happen when you simplify your message and de-clutter your slides,  interact with the audience by asking and answering questions throughout your talk and practice a lot.  Hit your mark and the audience will regard you as an expert.  Mission accomplished.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Strategic Volunteerism: Doing Well by Doing Good

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Within three months of losing my corporate job back in the late 90s,  I got the bright idea to plunge into volunteering. I instinctively knew that keeping my hands busy with good work and meeting new people would help keep my spirits up as I figured out my next move.

Along the way, I also learned that volunteering provides opportunities to develop new competencies or resurrect dormant skills.  Plus,  I enjoyed the camaraderie and feeling of satisfaction that grew from joining with others to advance the mission of an organization we felt provided important benefits to our community.   More than a dozen years later,  I am still in at least occasional contact with several people I met in my first significant volunteer experience.

Volunteerism is de rigueur for Freelancers,  business owners,  corporate professionals and even students seeking acceptance to prestige schools.  Consider it additionally as a pathway to creating more business or entering the C-suite.  Volunteer projects allow important others to witness first hand your talents,  professionalism,  commitment and collaborative spirit.  Volunteering is an excellent way to beef up your CV and bio,  meet prospective clients and expand your referral network.

Strategically and purposefully volunteering one’s time is an essential component of smart networking and PR strategies. Volunteer to participate in  (or sponsor)  a noteworthy community event and create the perfect reason to write a press release and alert the media to your activity.

Carefully select a volunteer opportunity that will achieve specific objectives.  To get started,  ask yourself some questions that will clarify your reasons for volunteering,  help you choose the right organization and assess how much time you can contribute:

  1. Decide what you would like to achieve.  Do you want to showcase certain talents,  develop or strengthen certain skills or boost referrals?
  2. Decide who you’d like to meet and interact with.  Do you want to develop relationships with industry peers,  or promote a cause while you meet prospects?
  3. Decide your preferred time commitment.  Can you appear at monthly meetings over a two or three year period and serve on a board of directors,  or is a short term commitment on a special project committee more suitable?

Next,  identify volunteer opportunities that will produce the desired ROI.  Whether you are most interested in professional associations or not-for-profit organizations,  investigate and ask questions.

If you are not yet a member of the professional group that has captured your interest, visit its website,  learn the purpose of the group and the types of programs it sponsors.  Attend a program,  meet members and officers and ask what they value most about membership.  Make discreet inquiries about committees/subcommittees to figure out which would best showcase or build your skills.

If you are drawn to the NFP sector,  be sure to choose an organization whose mission aligns with your interests and values.  Visit the website to find out who is on the board and check out past and upcoming events.  Attend one and meet the staff and board members you’re thinking of working with.

It’s good to first test the waters by serving on a short term special project committee,  so that you can learn useful information such as upcoming available slots on the board,  the expected financial contributions of board members and if its members are expected to sell tickets to events or recruit financial donors.

Once you’ve started your volunteer journey,  be sure that your level of participation is in line with that of other board or committee members and that the benefits you’re receiving are fulfilling your objectives.  Strategic volunteering means that you recognize volunteering is a two way street and you exchange your time,  talent and money for opportunities to highlight or strengthen your skills and make some useful contacts while you do it.

So are you meeting the right people?  Do you work on projects that interest and showcase you?  Are you having fun,  or feeling frustrated?  If it’s the latter,  do not be ashamed to resign.  There are numerous volunteer opportunities available and one,  or perhaps more,  will be a good fit for you.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Key Words, Long Tails and DIY SEO

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Let’s take a look at what the average Freelancer may want to consider before taking on a do-it-yourself search optimization project.  The hard part is to identify the key words that will cause your business name to appear in an internet search.  The easy part is to embed those beneficial key words into your website, newsletter or social media.

We know that key words are popular search terms and that they are often general: shoes–hotels–flowers–books.  General,  single,  key words are dominated by the corporate whales and they do not favor the Freelancer or small business owner.  When such key words are used,  the little fish land on something like page 32 of a search,  drowned by the likes of J.C. Penney,  Barnes & Noble,  FTD and Sheraton.  Little fish need key words with long tails,  that will help us swim to the top of the page.

Long tail key words are actually phrases,  ideally 3–4 words in length.  The term was coined in 2004 by Chris Anderson of Wired Magazine.  Long tail key words tend not to be dominated by the big guys and using them sometimes allows little guys to appear on the first page of a search.  They are less popular because they are more specific and those who embed those phrases will attain a more favorable page rank.  Think quality over quantity.

The trick is to figure out which long tail key words generate adequate search volume.  You need that tail to be long enough to pull in prospects who are searching for what you sell and so they’re typing in those key words.  ComScore reports that in the month of April 2010 alone,  Americans conducted 15.5 billion internet searches.  At least a few of them are your target customers.

Google data shows that the top five names listed in a search receive 75% of the clicks.  Page one listings in total receive 98% of the clicks.  But how might your prospective clients express what they want when searching for your product or service?  To find out,  check out two free Google tools: Key Word Tool and Wonder Wheel.

To begin,  bring up Google,  search key word tool and click on Adwords Key Word Tool.  Scroll down,  type in a phrase that describes your business and click search.  You will receive perhaps 50-100 variations on your description,  each one a potential long tail key word.

On the right,  see two columns of numbers.  The inner column gives the number of monthly searches  for each phrase done globally and the outer column gives the number of monthly searches for each done locally.  It’s the local column that you want.  Do the math.  If a phrase gets 2000 searches each month,  I recommend that you avoid it.  If a phrase gets 200 searches each month,  I recommend that you give it some thought.

You’re looking for your sweet spot: long tails that get adequate action,  but for which there is not competition that will overwhelm your page rank.  BTW,  if you’re thinking of adding a new service or product to your line,  this is a good way to measure the demand in your locale,  because you’ll learn how many prospects are searching for it.

To access the Wonder Wheel,  bring up Google and type in your proposed long tail key word phrase.  When you get the results,  look to the left column and see the Google name.  Scroll down, see “Wonder Wheel” and click.

You will then see a graphic shaped like a sun with rays.  Your phrase will be in the sun and the rays will contain your variations.  Click on a variation and that will become the sun and you’ll get more variations. 

Once you’ve chosen your preferred long tail key word,  own it.  Incorporate that phrase into your elevator pitch,  advertising,  LinkedIn page,  website,  blog and newsletter.  But always remember that good content rules,  so think sprinkle and not slather.

What will identifying and embedding a long tail key word actually do for your page rank?  No one knows until it’s done,  not you and not the SEO experts for hire.  If nothing else,  you’ll find a better way to describe your services and that’s a plus.  So if you have the time and inclination,  why not DIY and find out?

Thanks for reading and good luck,

Kim

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The SEO Algorithm Rhythm

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Maybe you’ve heard about the Google page rank scandal that venerable retailer J.C. Penney perpetrated over the past Christmas season?  The company hired search engine optimization experts to put Penney’s first in nearly all Google searches in the apparel and retail categories,  for everything from athletic wear to little black dresses.

The SEO company certainly earned its consulting fee,  because Penney’s had excellent online sales over the Christmas 2010 season as compared to competitors and its own 4Q 2009 online sales.

The fly in the ointment was that the SEO company allegedly used what are called  “black hat”  techniques that unfairly manipulated the algorithm that Google uses to determine the page rank that businesses in a given search category will receive.  The algorithm is quite mysterious,  has been reported to contain 200+ factors and is said to change frequently.

What is known about the algorithm is that Google counts the number of web pages that link to a particular site.  Links to a website are treated like votes.  The links reflect what the online community at large views as the most relevant websites associated with a search category.  Penney’s SEO consultants managed to create 2000+ links to dubious sites and that allowed the retailer to be the king of all searches in numerous apparel and retail categories.

The function of SEO is to massage Google’s algorithm so that a business will land on page one of a search and as close to the top as possible.  The quest to obtain a number one,  or at least a top ten (10 listings = 1 page),  page rank placement is very intense.

Businesses that reach number one page rank are positioned to rake in the most dollars.  For internet retail searches,  several studies have shown that one-third of searchers click only on the first business listed.  Another third will also click on the second through fifth listings.  If a business does not appear on the first page,  it is literally out of the picture and may as well not be listed at all.

Hence,  a plethora of SEO experts have come to the rescue,  to scoop billable hours from nervous business owners who are scrambling to remain competitive in a troubled economy.  Bringing prospects to your website is the name of the game and with some luck,  a few of them will become your clients.  But should you pay someone to do this for your website?  Maybe,  maybe not.

To sort this out,  think about how those in your industry usually get clients.  Is it standard for prospects to conduct searches,  peruse the websites of those with whom they are not familiar and make inquiries that sometimes create the trust level that leads to a sale?  Or do clients usually come in as the result of face to face meetings and recommendations?  Or all of the above?

Of course,  whether or not online business is significant,  a strong page rank can only make your business look more substantial,  no matter how clients find you.  Even those who come in through referrals may do a search to find out how you rank,  just for the heck of it.

But the question remains about paying someone to put your business on page one.  If you’re holding a few extra dollars,  then why not,  I suppose ?  However,  hiring an SEO expert does not necessarily mean that your page rank objective will be achieved.  There is no shortage of SEO practitioners,  but there is a significant body of anecdotal evidence that suggests the outcome of their work can be underwhelming.  Caveat emptor.

My big question is,  if it is true that Google changes the algorithm frequently,  then what is the shelf-life of prime SEO placement for the average Freelancer,  whose budget for the project is likely to be less than $1000.00?  How long will that keep me on page one? Also,  can I do my own SEO work by using key words and phrases that will capture the attention of Google?  More on this topic next week.

N.B.–Because the February – March session sold out,  I have been invited to reprise  “Become Your own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street in Boston on three successive Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register please visit http://bcae.org or call 617.267.4430.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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Press Release Primer

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What you need is a media event.   Along with positive word of mouth generated by satisfied customers,  there’s nothing that will enhance your business cred like a nice mention in print,  online,  social,  radio or television media.  Even if your phone doesn’t ring immediately,  you are guaranteed to take that good publicity straight to the bank.

You must get the ball rolling.   Keep your eyes and ears open for a newsworthy event to which you can attach yourself.   School boy or girl sports events,   health fairs,   neighborhood clean-up and flower planting initiatives or art fairs  are potential publicity opportunities.  

Or brainstorm a way that you can turn a spotlight onto something interesting that you will do.  Maybe you can nominate yourself for a professional or volunteer service award and figure out a way to win?  You must get creative and get involved.

You will send a press release.   A press release is a standard way of communicating with journalists.  Providing content is the most important function of the press release,  in addition to grabbing attention.  If written well,  your press release will pique the interest of the target journalists at your chosen media outlets.  Your press release will convey the essentials of your story.  It will make things easy for the journalist and increase the chance that you will receive coverage. 

You must identify the appropriate media outlets.   Get familiar with local business oriented radio and television programs,  bloggers and community and business newspapers and magazines.  Watch the programs,  listen to broadcasts,  follow the blogs and read the magazines and newspapers.  Learn which journalists cover stories like yours.  Take notes on stories they’ve written or reported on.  Obtain their email and phone contacts from the media outlet website,  or call and ask the receptionist.  Make special note of issue deadlines.

Send press releases 4-5 weeks in advance of your event.   Give target journalists adequate time to evaluate and plan to cover your story. 

Send the press release in the body of the email.   If there will be a good photo opportunity at the event,  inform  the journalist.  If you have an event press kit photo, attach to the email.  In your introduction,  mention that you’ve listened to or read certain of his/her stories and that you wonder if there could be some interest in yours.

You must follow up with a phone call.   Ask the receptionist for the best call times,  or ask the journalist in your voicemail.  Confirm that the press release was received.  Ask if your story merits coverage.  Ask if additional information would be helpful.

  • Your email subject line should read FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,  so the journalist will know that a press release has arrived.
  • In the upper left corner,  the press release sender gives contact info: name,  title,  company name and address,  email,  telephone and fax.  If you are alerting journalists to a particular event,  provide the organization name,  address,  website and other contact info in the upper right corner.
  • In BOLD CAPS,  state your press release headline.  Make it straight to the point,  a title for your story.  Above that give the press release date,  also in bold.
  • Below the title,  you may also provide a 3-4 sentence summary overview of the press release subject.
  • Next,  provide the body of the press release.  Write in the third person and include the relevant who,  what,  when,  where and why of your story or event.  Give an unbiased and factual account that communicates why the journalist and his/her audience will find your story newsworthy.
  • If your press release is longer than one page,  you may choose to include bullet points to detail key story elements.
  • Conclude with 2-3 sentences about your company,  your product/service and website link.  Also include links to any related or relevant articles in which you have been mentioned or profiled,  as well as applicable video links.

Persuading the media to publicize you,  your work or your community involvement is always much more compelling to current and prospective clients than any advertising you could ever buy.  Third party endorsement is always perceived as more credible.

If packaged correctly,  what you do in your professional and/or personal life could be considered newsworthy by any number of local (or national) media outlets.  Put on your thinking cap and identify how you can contribute a story that will pay dividends for your professional reputation. 

Thanks for reading,

Kim