Are You Really Connecting with Your Audience?

One of the toughest parts about running a business online is that it is a challenge to truly connect with your audience. For example, YOU. Right this minute you’re reading this post and I’m hoping I can make a connection. I am hoping you see there is a person writing this who wants to help you, wants you to succeed online. But it’s hard because all you see are words that any Joe Schmoe could have written. So how can people see your heart, your intent?

I have listed 3 ways below to help push you outside of the no-touch zone with your audience:

3 Tricks to Develop Blog Post Content People Want to Read + 1 More

We’ve seen it time and time again where we type in a search phrase into Google and an old, outdated blog pops up. (Well, that won’t last anymore, click here to see why, but that’s the way it has been until now.) A blog that someone started, wrote a few posts and bailed. Why they don’t just tear down the site from the Internet altogether, I don’t know.

My sunny theory: I don’t think the blog owner got lazy, but rather, they didn’t know what to say! How many times have you thought, “I should write a blog post, it’s been a while..” yet you still don’t get it done. You worry if what you write will be what people want to read… will they care? will they share it? will they comment, or not?

I say, forget the noise and just write. People WILL care. You WILL help others. And the more you write, the more people will share your content and comment on it.

21 Questions to Evaluate Your Efforts of Building Your Online Platform

Every once in a while I like to pose a series of questions to offer a ‘big picture’ view, instead of lasering in on a specific topic and teaching you about it. Today is such a day.

There is a TON of valuable information in this post. All of the links open in a new window and the content will laser in on that topic. I invite you to spend some time here and really take advantage of this FREE platform I’ve developed just for you.

For those of you who are just getting started online, this post would be excellent for you to print out and keep by your computer as you
build your online platform
(your website, social networks, leads – it is all-encompassing of your touch-points online). For those of you who think they are on a great track online, this may be a good post to see what has slipped between the cracks or what area you could build up for better results.

To All Those Newbie Bloggers Who Don’t Yet Believe the Power of Blogging….

I, like many of you, just heard about Google+Pages. Being the total geek I am, I instantly raced to Google+ and set up my own business page. Check out my new Google+ Page (and I hope you add it to your circles!).

This post isn’t about Google+ Pages, but I do intend to write one once there’s a little more to share about it. For now you can add your description, photo, same ‘ole — but I still of course suggest you set one up for yourself!

What’s fun (and sometimes frustrating) about playing with online tools is that I feel like I’m living in a pin ball machine. My attention pings from one place to another and shortly my brain hurts and I feel a little overwhelmed – information overload (yes it happens to all of us, even those that do this for a living!)

Are You Going to the Small Biz Success Summit?? (255 seats sold already…)

Earlier this week I got an email from Michael Stelzner (founder of the great SocialMediaExaminer.com) about the upcoming Small Biz Success Summit 2012. Tickets just went on sale Tuesday, Nov 1 I believe and already they’ve sold 225 tickets in it’s first day!! Here’s what I read:

“Social Media Examiner presents the web’s largest fully online small business social media conference, Small Biz Success Summit 2012.  Discover how to quickly attract quality customers, build loyal fans and grow your revenue with social media.

Here’s why this summit should interest you:

  1. 100% small business focus: No big businesses and no speakers who target big businesses. This is fully for the tiny business.
  2. This it totally new content: Broadcast new media, Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, video marketing, blogging plus search and much more. Social media is always in flux and this event will cover what you need to know now. If you’re working off what you learned six months ago or longer, you are ages behind.

How to Build Your Online Platform

You have a powerful message inside. You’re bursting at the seams to get it out. You have endless inspiration and ideas. There’s only one problem – it takes time to build your online platform.

So many people have this dilemma. The next step is to rush, rush through logo and website design, rush to add content to the site, rush to turn that sign over to read “Open for business!”

My suggestion? Ask your web developer (how do you know if your web person is any good? click here) to put up a blog with a decent free theme. Someplace you can go to and start blogging now. You don’t have to have your logo done, web design done – nada. Just get “something” up and start the race. The key is to write content while you build the site – then add the design and branding in within the next month or two when you’re all set. This way you generate traffic NOW instead of waiting another two months (that would be super frustrating for you).

New Release! By Popular Demand, Online Evolutions 2 Now Available!

I’ve feel so honored and truly grateful from all of you who have download Online Evolutions 1 and given me such great comments like,

“I just started reading your ebook – Online Evolutions – and I wanted to let you know that it is truly inspirational! You talk about many of the same principles that I applied to my sales regime and daily routine early in my career. I must say that I needed a “refresher course”. Keep writing and offering up principles to live by!”  — Joyce K

“Thanks Amber! I got the hard copy of the (Online Evolutions) book in the mail yesterday. Thanks for your note. You are so great! I am excited! Thanks again! You rock!!!! :) “  — Sarah

 

I’ve been asked throughout this year, “When’s the next volume coming??” Thank you all for your patience as I could get this formatted and prepped for you. Today I can announce, “IT’S HERE!”

DIY (Effective!) Search Engine Optimization for WordPress Users – Get Results!

You’ve heard the buzz before, “You need SEO – Search Engine Optimization!” Most don’t know what that means – and that is OK. Today’s post is for you.

When you publish a new page or post, Google “spiders” (automated software) scan the page for “keywords”. These spiders are analyzing everything about that page to determine where to index that page within the billions of pages in the Google search engine. Once you’re in the habit of optimizing your blog posts (and pages), you will see major benefits and a dramatic increase in website traffic.

If you go to www.Google.com and search under the keyword phrase “personal development”, you will notice 100,000,000+ pages are indexed in Google. Google will rank a page based on over 200 sets of criteria which can include design elements, programming style, etc.

Do-It-Yourself Website Evaluation, Part 2 of 2: What is Costing You Leads?

The other day, I shared some website evaluation ideas straight out of a powerful eGuide Marty Dickinson and I wrote called, “The Extended Do-It-Yourself Website Evaluation Checklist“.

I talk to clients left and right, all who are panicked with this knowing they are losing potential clients. It’s as if they are dying for hydration in their business, the water spigot is gushing water (the potential of doing well online) and they are stammering to get a drop of leads here and a drop there. Sound familiar?

I have GREAT NEWS for you today. You don’t have to get overwhelmed then make a quick decision and hire the first company that says “I can get you to the top of Google!” You can hire a hundred of those companies and they can dump a ton of leads in your lap – but if your legs (your foundation) are not strong enough to hold the weight, you’ll collapse and all of your efforts will be wasted.

Critical Website Evaluation, Part 1 of 2: Things You Didn’t Know that Could Hurt Your Results

Web Marketing expert Marty Dickinson and I wrote a jam-packed checklist and tutorial guide titled, “The Extended Do-It-Yourself Website Evaluation Checklist“. In this 30-page eGuide we explored over 100 critical components of your website, all of which contribute to your success rate (or lack there of).

Topics include everything from Business Planning to Website, Layout and Formatting, to eCommerce and SEO tactics – all of which combine to grant you more online results. All you need to do is LEARN what Google looks at and why, what is a turn off to your visitor, and what holes are costing you money in your website and business planning.

We must never expect to throw up a site and call it a day. The Truth is… If you want great RESULTS, you must learn and execute what WORKS.


Amber's Latest Blog Post

3
Feb

What’s the Deal with Affiliate Marketing and Social Media?

By now you’ve heard a little something about affiliate marketing – enough to know you should be an affiliate. You’ve also heard how imperative social media is.

Wanna hear my two cents? Below you’ll find a 20-minute audio where I was interviewed by Pam Zimmer. Feel free to download, SHARE, or listen straight from this post.

What questions did I answer?

  • Why would someone want to sign up as an affiliate and what are the benefits?
  • What is a “mask URL” and when/why would you want to use one?
  • How can you leverage being an affiliate to market and grow your business?
  • If someone is new to social media and wanted to create the most opportunity for a book release, what are the top things they should do?
  • What other tips can I offer to have more success with affiliate marketing and social media?