Why Every Freelancer Should Have A Web Site
Why Every Freelancer Should Have A Web Site
"Do I send samples, a media kit, or just the query, postcard and/or sales letter?" As a freelancer, when you are trying to reach new clients or stay in touch with old ones, how to approach the contact can be a sticky, confusing, discombobulating journey. Having a web site can solve all of these situations. How?Outlined below are four ways a web site can contribute to the bottom line success of your business.1. Save Postage: When prospecting for new clients, instead of sending an entire media kit, numerous clippings, and/or writing samples, simply direct your target to your web site.A simple postcard can list the services you offer and/or products you sell. For samples of your work direct prospects to your web site, which can do a better job of selling. A web site can list client testimonials, special deals and discounts, awards - the possibilities are endless.In essence, you are selling a potential client on your business for just the cost of a postcard. Of course, you can always send a sales letter instead of a postcard. The point is, you don't have to spend a lot of money on postage up front.If a client is interested enough from your initial postcard/letter to look at your web site, then you have a better chance of them contacting you. One could argue, the less you spend up front, the better. This weeds out the tire kickers from the serious buyers.Can you do business without a web site? Yes. But, consider the following first.2. Increase Revenue: Would you like to make money while you sleep? Essentially, a web site allows you to do just that. Proof?After launching a Web site, 41% of small businesses report an increase in their sales volume, and more than half (55%) with a Web site say their sites have generated a profit or paid for themselves. SmallBusinessComputing.com, "Internet Future Bright for Small Businesses." January 14, 2003.This does not mean you don't have to do all those things necessary to drive potential customers to your site, i.e., market your site. A web site is simply another avenue, albeit a powerful one, for you to increase your bottom line.Providing such info as location, photos, testimonials, price, hours of operation, et cetera, somewhat pre-qualifies clients without you ever having to meet them. This greatly increases your chances of making a sale.A 2001 study from Cyber Dialogue reveals that 86% of U.S. adults who were online have either clicked on e-ads or gathered product information online and then made an offline purchase based on the web ads or data.3. Stay in Touch with Existing Clients: Via your web site you can alert clients to special deals and discounts, announce new hires and promotions, advertise feedback and company awards, showcase media outlets where your business has been featured - the possibilities are endless.As postage increases, adding some type of listserv* software to your site to collect names and address of visitors is not only smart business, it's essential. Sending announcements via email is infinitely less expensive (some studies quote as high as 90%) than doing even a postcard mailing.Staying in touch with your clients puts your business foremost in their minds when it comes time for them to purchase the type of product/service you offer.*LISTSERV is a computer program that allows you to create, manage and control electronic mailing lists. Each list has a general (or sometimes very specific) topic of interest. It makes sending email to groups of people fast, easy, and cost-efficient.4. Saves Time (Hence Money): Thomas Jefferson said, "If you love life, do not waste time, for that is what life is made of."Remember, posting all pertinent information on your company web site - hours of operation, location, company history, products/services offered, type of clients served, et cetera - saves untold hours in phone time answering the same rote questions. This is time that can be better spent servicing existing customers (hence, making more money).And, to reiterate, adding listserv software automates the process of collecting names and addresses of customers. This saves time and money because you don't have to (or pay someone to) type all of this information into a database. The customers themselves do this. Further, since the customer voluntarily gives you their information, this builds your in-house mailing list. By building your own mailing list (which will almost always out pull most purchased mailing lists), you won't have to seek out lists for which you have to pay.Lastly, an in-house mailing list can be rented or sold to companies with complementary services. For example, a wedding consultant might rent/sell their list to a photographer. However, be very, very careful about this. It should be clearly stated in your privacy policy if you outright sell your list.Instead of selling an in-house list, most companies prefer to offer the products/services of an outside company in conjunction with their own services. In the example mentioned above, the wedding consultant's mailing of, for example, 10,000 brochures, would contain a mention of the photographer's service. The photographer's mention can be large or small, depending on mutual agreement.Note: Most customers WILL NOT voluntarily give you their contact information if you sell it. Guard your in-house list as if it's gold - because it is. These are customers you have worked hard and spent untold dollars to obtain. Although selling your list might be tempting, it breaches customer trust. In the long run, it is almost never worth the short-term gain.In conclusion, having an Internet presence speaks volumes about your firm's professionalism. This is especially important for small businesses. It adds another measure of credibility to your growing enterprise, while adding positively to your bottom line.Parts of this article were excerpted from How to Get Your Small Biz on the Web Quickly & Affordably, available for immediate download.About The AuthorMay be reprinted with inclusion of the following: Yuwanda Black is an entrepreneur, author, speaker and syndicated small business columnist whose focus is controlling your destiny through small business ownership. Her most recent e-books, How to Really Make a Living as an Editorial Freelancer and Advice from Successful Freelancers: How They Built Their Careers & How You Can Too! are available for immediate download at http://www.InkwellEditorial.com/bizguides.html Visit her on the web at http://www.EntrepreDoer.biz for a complete list of how-to, small business books and articles.columnist@EntrepreDoer.biz
How To Make A Blue Ribbon Presentation Every Time – Public-Speaking
How To Make A Blue Ribbon Presentation Every Time
You can make a Blue Ribbon presentation each and every time if you follow these 14 rules.1. "Fire In The Belly"
Remember the key word to successful communications is ENERGY. Speak with conviction. Choose topics about which you are passionately involved. If you will have "fire in your belly"
for the subject, success is almost guaranteed.2. Focus
Focus on your content and presentation with laser-like aim. Capture the audience's attention with a startling fact, a powerful question, an arresting quote, or a compelling story. Speak in specifics. Include both facts and feelings. Content is critical and must be clearly outlined and thought through. Presentation skills, however, are what make a presenter effective.3. Performance
Every time you speak, whether one-on-one or to hundreds, you are performing. Make the performance powerful! Put your whole self into the presentation. If the performance suffers, the content is of little value.4. Voice Color
Use voice color. We call it vocal variety. What we don't want is a black and white, bland, monotonous presentation. What we do want is the antithesis of monotony. Learn to whisper and to shout. Speed up and slow down. Pause. Pause some more. Use your entire vocal scale. Think of your voice as a fine violin, oboe or clarinet. Make the tones alive and colorful.5. Eyes
Use your eyes. Eyes are one of our most powerful means of communication. If your belly is on fire for your subject, your eyes can tell the story. Make eye-to-eye contact with your
audience. As you look at one person, finish a sentence or a thought, then look at another. Let your focus linger one to three seconds. Talk to one person at a time. This creates intimacy.
You will be far more personal and effective than if your eyes scan the crowd.6. Face
Use your face. The greatest bank account we have in human relations is free. It's a smile. Add your smile to penetrating eyes and expressive brows. With eyes on fire and an intense face
you will capture the attention of the most callous. Your face is like a television set. People will watch it with more interest if there is color and energy in the picture.7. Body Parts
Add the power of your body. After your eyes and face come the all-important carrier of the message... your body. Stand tall. Use gestures. Over-emphasize them when you practice. Make bold rather than timid gestures, broad rather than small! Great stage performers have learned how to take advantage of their body, face, eyes, and space.8. Balance
Maintain physical balance. There's a subtle difference in the respect awarded those who stand tall and speak with their weight equally balanced on both feet. You lose none of your warmth and appeal by standing tall. You gain stature and a sense of power. It is fine to move, but do so with a purpose. Do not wander aimlessly, pacing and creating a cadence of movement. This becomes monotonous, wears down your audience, and renders the presenter far less effective.9. Involvement
Involve the audience. Be sensitive to the audience's needs. Get to know them before you speak. Find out what their individual interests are. Weave that into your presentation. Balance
your emphasis between content and relationships, facts and feelings. We, as presenters, must strive to answer the multiple needs of an audience. Create a balance of information and
entertainment.10. Practice! Practice! Practice!
This is the most important rule of all. Practice - Practice - Practice. Never take a speaking engagement lightly. If you are to do your best, you must practice. Some presenters fall into the
trap of winging it. The danger is that sometimes "wingers" do a great job. So, they assume they are most effective with no practice. Ask Jack Nicklaus, Michael Jordan, Billy Graham,
Tiger Woods, Liddy Dole, Colin Powell, Jerry Seinfeld, or any star salesperson you know -- the greats practice! No exceptions.11. Get Rid of Your Need to be Perfect
Perfection is an impossible objective. Replace "perfect" with "be my very best." Being perfect is impossible-don't attempt it!12. Rehearse Q & A
When a question and answer period is appropriate, rehearse the Q&A session just as diligently as you do your talk. If there is the possibility of controversy or tough questions, identify the five toughest questions you could be asked and prepare a rehearsed answer for each.13. No Booze ? No racy material ? No obscene language
Booze will not make you sharper. It is a very treacherous friend. Off-color material and 4-letter words are not necessary. They will offend someone in every audience. There are too many good words in the English language that will represent you well. Don't resort to cheap laughs and uneasy applause.14. Practice . . . some more
. . . and confidence will travel with you.You can do it!Ty Boyd, CEO of Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, is in the Broadcast Hall of Fame and the Speakers Hall of Fame. He has taught presentation skills to Fortune 1000 executives in more than 34 countries. His Excellence In Speaking Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2005.
Unique Baby Bedding – Because Every Baby is Special-Toddler
Unique Baby Bedding - Because Every Baby is Special
All parents want something absolutely unique for their baby. Be it the baby's nursery or its stroller or its bedding, parents think it should reflect the personality of the baby. And for this, many parents want to buy unique baby bedding for their baby.The baby bedding available in the market today is literally for the taste of all kinds of people. You can get any kind of quilt you want, any kind of mattress and any kind of bed cover as well. You only have to think of something and it will be available somewhere.You can get baby bedding in different themes like cartoon characters, movie characters, floral design or some other design. Apart from different themes, you can get bedding in different colors or shapes. You can get round quilts, star-shaped quilts or something of the sort.One of the designs that have become very popular in baby bedding today is the ethnic design. These days, more and more parents are buying designs that come from different countries like Sweden, Turkey, India and China. What attracts them toward these items is the novelty of the design. Most people have not seen designs of these kinds, and therefore they are intriguing and interesting. These designs are good to use in baby bedding because not only can you show it off, but it looks great as well.There are probably as many baby bedding designs available in the market as there are people in the world. But if the huge variety and choice is somewhat confusing to you, then you can simply go online and surf for the perfect design for your baby's bedding. You can take your time and search in the comfort of your own home, and you can choose the bedding that appeals to you the most.Your baby is unique, and its bedding should also be just as unique. So go and get the perfect baby bedding for your baby - why wait?Kevin Lynch is a successful author and regular contributor providing advice on purchasing a variety of baby
products which includes baby
gifts, strollers,
and more! His sites and articles are dedicated to helping new parents.