Q&A: Starting an Email List

I like to answer questions from my tribe! In today's blog post, I respond to a reader who has a question about starting an email list.

Question:

I've been doing some Internet research regarding email marketing. MailChimp says I have to ask permission before I send email marketing. How do I do that? (I'm not using them - I'm going to do it myself) Do I send a first email saying in the subject line: "Asking permission to email monthly newsletter - NO email marketing service used"?

Another question: It has been suggested that I put a privacy policy right up front. Is the following enough? 

Privacy policy: I am not using an email marketing service - I am distributing the monthly email newsletter myself. There will be complete confidentiality. Your email will not be given to anyone. Please let me know if you're interested in receiving it. Below is what you will see.

Answer:
I'm thrilled you want to start using email to market/communicate! It's one of the most valuable tools you can use to generate repeat business, referrals and even new clients!

You want to get people to opt-in to your email. I believe you actually SHOULD be using an email marketing service -- doing it yourself (i.e., copy-and-pasting email addresses into a BCC list) has two major disadvantages: 

1. lower deliverability of email messages (some email systems associate the BCC method with spam and will block messages from you -- not just the bulk ones, but they'll "blacklist" your email address and when you try to individually email these clients later, the message may not get through. 
2. You won't know who opened your email messages. All email marketing systems track "open rates" -- and while they're not infallible (people have to either click a link in the email or click "load images" to be registered as an "open,"), knowing which of your messages are enticing people to read them is valuable information. (Imagine if our clients could send their resumes this way, and they'd know if their resumes were actually being "opened" and read! I'm sure that day is coming! *smile*)

Okay, back to opting in. The best way to do this is to invite people to JOIN your email list. But it's not like the old days (5-10 years ago), when you could say, "Sign up to get my email newsletter!" and people would join it. No, people want valuable information in exchange for giving up their email address, and a "monthly newsletter" isn't enough of a draw. The easiest way to get them to sign up is by giving them a valuable special report. A lot of my BeAResumeWriter.com Bronze members adapt their Pass-Along Materials for this purpose. Another advantage of using an email service is that it automates the opt-in and delivery of the freebie. 

YES, you can send an email to each of your current clients, but I wouldn't use the subject line "Asking permission to email monthly newsletter." Instead, I'd tailor it to your bonus. For example: "Follow-up to resume services: Making more in your next job." This one-to-one email can be sent to each of your clients you've worked with (and, on an ongoing basis, to each client you work with in the future, after you send their resume documents). The email would have a link to opt-in to the email list AND when they sign up, it AUTOMATICALLY sends them the link to download the special report. (And they're added to your email list.) That's the basis of permission-based marketing.

If you want to use your email list to generate prospects (not just communicate with existing clients), you can also add the opt-in box to your website and social media profiles. You use it the same way -- you offer a valuable opt-in incentive (it can even be a DIFFERENT one for prospective clients vs. existing clients!) and you put an opt-in box on your website, blog, Facebook business page, etc. to get people to opt-in to receive it (and thus be on your email list). Most of the email marketing services will also include tools that allow you to spread the word about getting on your list (including "forward this email" buttons and links to your social media profile tools).

Many of the services also allow you to upload lists but ONLY do this if you have the permission of the people to add them! For example, if you have a booth at a job fair, you can offer to send them your salary negotiation guide if they put their name/email on your sign-up sheet. Then, you can enter those names into your email service database manually and it will both send them the guide AND add them to your email list.

As for WHAT to send to folks once they're on your list, make sure you follow the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of your content should be valuable career-related information (without sales tactics) and 20% can be promotions/advertising -- whether that's for your own services or affiliate products/services. You want people to STAY on your list, so make sure you're communicating with them REGULARLY (at least once a month) and giving them valuable information.

But that brings me to reason #3 to use an email marketing service: automatic unsubscribes. The #1 rule you need to follow in email marketing is actually a LAW -- the CAN-SPAM Act defines email marketing. If someone asks to be taken off your list, you need to do that. And it's easier to allow them to unsubscribe themselves (ALL email marketing programs have this option built-in to each message you send) than to manage getting the replies to you one by one by one. Here's the CAN-SPAM Act guidelines:

https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business

The #4 reason to use an email marketing service is they offer you pretty templates you can customize when sending the information. Instead of a plain email message, you can incorporate a "theme" template -- customizing the colors and fonts to match your business logo/colors. Once you set up this template, you can use it over and over again, making it easy to send your monthly messages. 

All in all, email marketing services offer some major advantages over sending messages yourself. And frankly, most people don't actually MIND that you're using an email marketing service to manage your list. The messages look more professional, getting on and off the list are easy, and they still can be personalized (you can set up your messages so they drop in the recipient's first name in the subject line or in the body of the message itself).

And they're not too expensive. (EVERY resume writer I've worked with on this has said their list pays for itself in terms of repeat business, referrals, affiliate products/services sold, and new business generated, if they follow the guidelines I've outlined here). The cost can be as little as $5/month, but the average is $20/month. I personally pay about $50/month for mine, and it's TOTALLY worth it.

I use (and recommend) these three email marketing services -- I've included pluses and minuses, and my affiliate links for each:

VerticalResponse. Offers a pay-as-you-go option (you can pay for email "credits" to start out, instead of a flat monthly rate -- although you can change to a monthly subscription at any time), so it's very affordable to get started. VR offers some basic templates; but does not include free graphics. It can host your sign-up form for you too. Setup difficulty level: Medium
http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-5727729-10683714

Constant Contact. One of the most popular services. A little more pricey than other options, but offers a TON of templates and lots of free graphics (plus access to paid stock photography services). Good sign-up tools for getting people on your list -- integrates with your Facebook page easily to provide a sign-up form. Also offers other services: survey tool, event management/sign-up tool, and a Groupon-like service. Offers a free trial for new customers. Setup difficulty level: Easy

http://bit.ly/ConstantC-RWD

AWeber. This one requires more technical proficiency than the other two, but offers a way for you to provide both single email messages AND email "courses" to prospective clients or current/past clients using autoresponders. I use it to deliver both free AND paid programs -- you can set up a series of email messages that are delivered automatically -- for example, my Leveraging LinkedIn class is 8 email lessons delivered once a day for 8 consecutive days. I set it up once in AWeber and people can subscribe to the "course" and the messages are delivered to them automatically. It also offers great opt-in forms -- giving you the code to put on your own page or AWeber will even "host" the form for you. Setup difficulty level: Harder

http://bearesumewriter.aweber.com

Why don't I recommend Mailchimp? Mainly because of email deliverability rates. Because Mailchimp offers a free level of service, their OVERALL email deliverability rates are lower, because some email service providers block ALL Mailchimp messages because some people use the free service irresponsibly. (Because there is no cost, it's used quite a bit by folks selling multilevel marketing products or low-cost services/products). I prefer using a paid service that monitors its members and makes sure they are following the rules (not just adding their entire email list to their account and sending messages without permission).

As for the privacy policy, YES, it's fine to include it, but it does NOT need to be the first thing in the message (nor will that help you entice people to subscribe and/or stay on your list). The #1 way to build trust with your list is to SHOW, not TELL. It's not enough to say that you won't share or use their email without permission -- SHOW that. Do NOT add send "bulk" emails to people unless they've requested to be added to your list (by opting in to receive your freebie). It's fine to send ONE email message to people you currently work with (or have worked with in the past) to ask if they want to receive your freebie, but don't just ADD them to the list. People hate that. :-)

Save $200 on "Serious Revenue" Program (Buy By Oct. 19)

Yesterday, I wrote about Career Directors International's Career Innovator Awards. Today, I learned that two of those award-winning innovators -- Susan Whitcomb and Pat Schuler -- are offering a $200 discount on their program if you purchase by Oct. 19.

The Career Innovator award are presented to individuals who have developed a resource, tool, program, or initiative that has added significant value to the careers industry -- either to jobseekers or career professionals.

Susan and Pat's program, "Serious Revenue: Landing 4- and 5-Figure Clients...With Integrity and Heart" earned the 2012 Career Innovator award.

Here's the description of the program:

Susan Whitcomb here! . . . I’ve spent several decades in the career field as a practitioner like you, and have also trained and coached hundreds of career professionals over the last 10 years. During that time, my heart has been broken to see the many talented, passionate professionals who LOVE what they’re doing — in fact, feel called with a divine destiny to do what they do — but are STRUGGLING to make ends meet. And to be painfully honest, I’ve struggled with the same issue in the past!

Serious Revenue: Landing 4- and 5-Figure Clients with Integrity and Heart – Binder and Audio Collection on thumb drive

I wanted to do something about this (and boost my own skills in the process!). I’d heard about several people in our industry who were also in that mode (doing great work but not making the income they wanted) and had worked with the amazing sales coach, Pat Schuler — doing so, they took their income beyond what they had dreamed, landing 4- and 5-figure clients on a regular basis.

The problem was, a lot of people can’t afford Pat Schuler’s $400-600 per hour rates. So I asked Pat to team up with me and create a product where people could get more than a dozen hours of her and my time at what it would cost for approx. one or two hours of her time, as opposed to $7,000 to $8,000! . . . a product that would have a lasting change on the way you do business and enable you to earn more for the priceless services that you offer.

So, if you . . .

• Feel like you’re at a crossroads with your business
• Are a recent startup
• Or perhaps have been doing this for years, but worried that if you can’t find a way to earn more money, you may have to go to work for someone else . . . read on!

You know you make a difference in your clients’ lives, and if you could you’d do this work for free. You’re self aware, and you’ve done a lot of personal growth work.

Are you beginning to suspect that, like me, you have some old beliefs or old habits that are potentiallysabotaging your business success despite the expertise with which you deliver your services? What if the major obstacle in your way is just that there’s a skill set you haven’t yet mastered?

• How many weeks or months of training have you had at actually growing your business?
• How well is that training working for you?
• How often are you getting push back on your fees or programs?
• What percentage of prospective clients are saying, I need to think it over?

These are all challenges that you can master with the Serious Revenue: Landing 4- and 5-Figure Clients … with Integrity & Heart program that helps you conquer self-sabotaging beliefs, that leads you step by step through a process that empowers you to ask for the business from a place of confidence and power without being arrogant or pushy . . . in fact, with integrity and heart.

In about a dozen lively, interactive interview sessions (I love interviewing thought leaders!) between myself and exclusive sales coach Pat Schuler, you can get the skills you need to grow your business and land those 4- and 5-figure clients that would make such a difference to your confidence, your career, and your checkbook. In fact, here’s what a recent beta tester, Robyn Feldberg, said about the program:

I’m really impressed with the Serious Revenue: Landing 4- and 5-Figure Clients … with Integrity & Heart training and genuinely grateful to have been among the first to learn these innovative techniques — things I would have NEVER thought of on my own, and I consider myself a fairly decent salesperson to begin with. I grew up in a family of sales-people, but this program taught me techniques I’d never heard of before, and it gave me usable tools to implement in my business immediately that will inevitably help me reach my revenue goals more quickly. The program also made me much more aware of why it’s important for me to reach my revenue goals.

Robyn L. Feldberg, CCMC, NCRW, “The Abundant Success Career Coach”

Certified Career Management Coach & Nationally Certified Resume Writer

What’s included in Serious Revenue: Landing 4- and 5-Figure Clients … with Integrity & Heart?

• More than a dozen audio sessions on a thumb drive (in MP3 format so you can download to your iPod) covering everything you’ll need to know to land 4- and 5-figure career clients, from mindset, overcoming limiting beliefs, to setting revenue goals, qualifying clients, and asking for the business … with integrity and heart!
• A beautiful binder with approxiately 200 pages of transcripts, for those who prefer to read along while also listening.
• Outlines to bring the comprehensive material into focus.
• Special Bonus: To ensure you implement the program and reach your revenue goals, we’re addingMomentum Monday – Six MONTHS of LIVE monthly calls with Pat and/or Susan on the 4th Monday of the month (we take a break for summer and December).

Pat and I have invested hours and hours of time over a six-month period to make this product powerful. We have finished beta testing and put final touches on production, so the product ships immediately!

If you’re committed to seeing some Serious Revenue in 2012, this will be the key tool to make that happen!

BONUS! PROFESSIONAL MARKETING SYSTEM is included when purchasing Serious Revenue WITH an Academies Certification Program

On top of the Serious Revenue program with Susan and Pat, which covers the selling side of the equation, you’ll also be able to participate in a proven marketing system with a professionally trained and licensed Get Clients NOW!“! facilitator–Kim Avery!

Kim, a graduate of Career Coach Academy and now completing the Job Search Academy program, is an experienced coach AND marketing maven, passionate about marketing and helping you build your practice. She provides foundational marketing education, training on how to build an effective marketing plan, and coaching through the process of implementation. I guarantee you will love her warm and caring style, insight and wisdom, and deep level of competence!

Get Clients NOW! teaches you over 100 tactics and tools for marketing professional services with step-by-step recipes for their use. This systematic, structured program shows you how to design a focused, cohesive marketing action plan that produces results. (Requires that you purchase a copy of the book, Get Clients NOW!)

Step-by-Step Approach

Using the Get Clients NOW! book as a text, you will learn a simple but highly effective step by step approach, straightforward tips, and specific techniques like these:

• What really works to market a service business, and what doesn’t
• How to diagnose what’s wrong with your marketing using the Universal Marketing Cycle
• How to design a marketing program that is suited not only to your business, but your personality, strengths and favorite activities
• How to break out of “analysis paralysis” and determine exactly what you need to do first — and every step of the way
• How to overcome the fear, resistance, and procrastination that block effective action
• How to create a customized, affordable, reusable, and realistic marketing plan
• Ongoing support and encouragement to stick to your plan throughout the program

With both the selling tools you’ll learn in Serious Revenue and the marketing tools you’ll implement in Get Clients Now!, you will have the critical information AND the support you need to get on the right track.

Register here for Serious Revenue: Landing 4- and 5-Figure Clients … with Integrity & Heart audio program (if not registering for CCMC or CLC or CJSS program):

Purchase Serious Revenue: 1 payment of $895 or 3 payments of $299

Use promotional code INNOVATOR when you buy -- and get the program for only $695 (instead of the usual $895). Code is valid through Oct. 19, 2012.
Payment plans are also available.
Learn more about -- or purchase -- the Serious Revenue program here.

New Year, New Marketing Ideas

January is traditionally the busiest month for resume writers, according to the Resume Writers' Digest Annual Industry Survey. So if your phone hasn't been ringing (or your emailbox "binging"), here are some ideas to help you attract new clients right now.

• Re-evaluate your marketing plan. Wait. You do have a marketing plan, right? A written document that outlines your vision for your resume writing business, your goals and objectives, who your ideal target customer is, and the "5 Ps" (what Products/services you'll offer; your Pricing strategy; your Place/distribution plans -- i.e., whether you'll work with clients in person or virtually, or both; how you plan to Promote your business, and People involved -- you, and/or subcontractors or virtual assistants who will serve your clients). You'll also want to outline the marketing tactics you plan to use (including your marketing budget) and a schedule for implementing the tactics.

Every few years it is necessary to take a look at your marketing plan with new eyes. If you're not as busy as you'd like to be, you should evaluate your marketing plan every few months. What are you doing now? What's working? What's not? How can you revamp your existing marketing tools (articles, blogging, public speaking) and employ some new ones (social media, teleseminars/webinars)?

• Become a social networker. Speaking of social media, Twitter and Facebook are becoming valuable tools for a lot of resume writers, who have used the social media sites to position themselves as expert resources for clients, recruiters, and the media.

• Advertise your business on your personal Facebook page. I came across a resume writer last week who just made the announcement that she was no longer going to post any business-related posts on her personal page. Huge mistake! Facebook has just changed their algorithm again, and it's resulting in less visibility for Business Pages. The new "Subscribe" feature also makes it easy for "non-friends" to follow what you're up to -- and posting business content on your personal profile is what they're usually looking for! Post links to new content on your website and other promotional links that friends and family can view and share. But don't neglect your fan page for your resume writing business. It's still a valuable tool. Encourage current clients to sign up and tune in for special information or offers that they won't find anywhere else.

• Don't neglect offline tools. For many resume writers, a significant portion of your business is still local. Just because more and more clients are finding you online doesn't mean that you should neglect offline tools, like direct marketing, flyersm and promotional items.

• Video marketing. People love to watch informative videos online. You can take what you know and turn it into a visual presentation that immediately gives new clients a picture of who you are and what you do. I am loving doing "Desktop Demos" -- on my Mac, I just use QuickTime and a USB headset/microphone to do a quick video. It saves as a .MOV file, and I upload it to YouTube so anyone can view it. Easy!! Check out this video I did last week on how to use BeAResumeWriter.com's Pass-Along Materials.

If you have an iPhone, it's also easy to record and upload a video to Facebook. Possible topics: share job search tips, give an update on the job market in your local area (who is hiring; who is not!), walk people through a before-and-after version of a fictionalized client's resume....

• Create a press release. Are you about to offer a new service or product? (LinkedIn profile development, your new career membership site, salary negotiation coaching), Create a press release that will attract new clients to your business. Use a press release service and be sure that your content is SEO optimized. (Want more ideas on how to use the media to attract new clients? Check out the recording of my teleseminar on "Feed the Media" in the Free Level Resources section of BeAResumeWriter.com. Not a member of BeAResumeWriter.com? Click on the "Become a Member" tab and apply for your free membership)

• Take a fresh look at your website. Are you making it easy for prospective clients to understand how they should work with you? You need two things on your website: A clear "call to action" that tells clients exactly what you want them to do to start working with you (call? send their existing resume?) AND you need a way to capture information about folks who visit your site but aren't ready to start working with you yet. (A free report delivered via autoresponder usually fits the bill.)

These are just a few ways you can attract new clients for your resume writing business.

Using Social Media to Maximize Your Content Distribution

When does 1+1=3?

When you can leverage individual efforts to create greater effect. Marketing efforts are more powerful and effective when they work together. For example, if you have a social networking account you probably have social networking buttons on your blog or website. You invite people to share on Facebook, for example, and like your Facebook business page too.

Your content marketing strategy is probably your most important and effective marketing tactic in your strategy. (See last week's blog post about creating a content strategy.) Content, after all, is what drives visitors to your website. It makes sense to blend your content marketing efforts with your social media efforts for a really powerful strategy.

Here are a few ideas or strategies to integrate your content marketing and social media efforts.

1. Linking. Each time you publish an article or blog post, link to it from social networking sites. You can try different approaches to test which works best. Does a straight headline with a link work? Or does your audience prefer a teaser paragraph and a link? Some marketers have found that asking a question works best to motivate click throughs from social networking sites.

2. Publish full articles. Some social media sites provide room for full articles. For example, LinkedIn and Facebook Fan pages both give you room to publish an abundance of content.

3. Include social media buttons on your site and in your content. If you have a blog, there are plug-ins that you can add to integrate social media buttons at the top of each blog post. You can also include a call to action in some or all of your posts. You can include a signature that says, "Like this post? Share it on Facebook."

4. If you're using article marketing to drive traffic to your site, you can link to those published articles from your social media accounts. You can also include a "Follow me on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn" or whatever sites you use. This helps broaden your audience and your awareness.

5. Use content to grow your social media connections. Each article or blog post should ideally have a purpose. You may want to promote an affiliate link. You may want to drive traffic to your opt-in page. You can also use content to build your social network following. Include a call to action at the bottom of your article or blog post and link to your profile.

There is tremendous potential here. You can also use social media comments or questions to create content for your site. You can also integrate them both into your email marketing strategy too.

Remember that each marketing tactic is more powerful when it is integrated with your other existing marketing tactics. Plan your content. Plan your social networking strategy and then plan how they can work together.

Email Marketing for Dummies

I am a huge advocate for resume writers building and using an email list. John Arnold’s book, “E-Mail Marketing for Dummies” may be the perfect source for learning how to start e-mail marketing and excel at it.

The book, which has a cover price of $24.99 (but sells for $16.49 on Amazon.com), helps you develop a strategy for marketing with e-mail. Learn how to build an e-mail list, create messages which reach those on your list and produce results. You’ll also discover how to track those results. Along with technical advice for building a list, you’ll also have the benefit of legal guidance that will keep you from inadvertently crossing over into spamming those on your e-mail list.

This easy-to-follow guide will show you how to incorporate an e-mail list into your total online marketing plan. Find out how to create messages that say “Open and read me,” how to include social media sources such as Facebook and Twitter, target your e-mails so they are relevant to your readers and track which emails get the most clicks through to some type of action.

384 pages long, “E-Mail Marketing for Dummies” is a one-stop place to get all the advice you need to be set up a successful e-mail marketing plan, increase your business, track the effectiveness of each campaign and finally find a method of marketing that can be the difference between online business success or failure.

If you are looking for one book that gives you the information you need for developing an e-mail marketing campaign for your resume writing business, this one is a book you’ll definitely want to read.

Beyond Marketing - Why Social Media is Important for Resume Writers

Most resume writers understand the value of using social media to market their resume writing business. They create Facebook pages, LinkedIn profiles, and dutifully fill out their Google business listing — all in the hope of expanding their marketing efforts. However, did you know there are many more benefits of social media than marketing? With proper use and deployment of social media, any business can do all of the following and probably more.

• Find subcontract writers and freelancers. Looking for subcontract writers? Or someone to handle a one-time project for your resume writing business? Use social media to help. Create a detailed listing of what you're looking for and post it on your social media accounts. Ask your friends and followers to share. It's more than likely that the person(s) who answer a call like this will be more compatible than using a huge impersonal job board.

• Create more sales. You may think that sales and marketing are the same thing, but they're not. Marketing is increasing your reach so that you can get more leads, but sales are different. Social media can increase sales outside of your marketing efforts just because your clients might share with others the positive experience of working with you on their career marketing efforts. And if they like what you are talking about on social media, they might like to buy from you more.

• Reward customers. Provide discounts, special incentives, and targeted career content for your customers using social media to "check in" or when they communicate with you via social media. People love getting free things, so take advantage of that by using social media to encourage more interaction with your customers and between your customers.

• Brand your business. It's important that you brand your resume writing business across all social media accounts as honest, relevant, and even generous. (For example, be sure to mention when you volunteer your services by speaking to organizations or participate in job fairs!) Be aware of how consumers, as well as your referral sources and other resume writers, view your business via all your social media interactions. Listen to your customers and be perceived as a company that does so. Demonstrate these things as often as possible as a way to brand your business on social media.

• Connect with your customers. You can set up private closed groups using Facebook that only your clients can see. It's a great way to increase your connection with your clients and to build a community. Encourage your clients to support other jobseekers in their job search.

• Easy project collaboration. Another use for private Facebook groups is easy project collaboration. In Facebook groups you can upload documents and communicate easily in one spot about various projects, without ever having to have a face-to-face meeting — but still be able to keep excellent records of the events and ideas as they unfold. I know of one group of resume writers that is working on a book project through a Facebook group.

By being involved with social media, you can increase your profile among prospects while building a stronger connection with clients. Use social media to form a connection with your community. Your resume writing business can be an integral part of your community in every way that it can. And those are benefits that extend beyond using social media only for marketing.

Free Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit

Robert Middleton has been a contributor to Resume Writers' Digest for many years. Now he's sharing a special resource with my readers: A Free "Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit."

This Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will remove the frustration and struggle you may experience with marketing your services. It shows you how to start playing "Marketing Ball." If you have clients and want more of them, the Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will make it a whole lot easier.

The Start-Up Kit includes an 85 minute mp3 Audio Tutorial and 22-page Workbook - everything you need to build a client-attracting marketing plan.

It's a step-by-step guide to attracting more clients. No matter what kind of self-employed professional you are, this Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will help you become a better marketer.

To receive your free kit, click here.

Using Content Marketing In Your Resume Writing Business

One of the best tools resume writers and career coaches have to market their careers industry businesses is content marketing. Sharing information and ideas with jobseekers can help them become prospective clients for your resume writing business.

Content marketing is getting more and more important every day. People today are finding more and more content through social networks and less and less through search engines. That means that creating content people want to share is becoming ever more important.

Here's how to use content marketing to your advantage.

Build Your Personal Brand
At the end of the day, the only thing that you have is your reputation. But a lot of people -- including resume writers -- fail to consciously build their personal brands. Yet this is truly one of the most valuable assets you have -- and it's one of the best ways to grow your resume writing business.

By creating high quality, unique content for a certain market, you establish yourself as an expert. If you want to target a special niche of clients -- for example, sales executives, or equine professionals -- you can tailor general job search information to the specific needs of this audience, and increase your "know, like, and trust" factor with these folks.

Build Trust with Prospective Customers
Jobseekers looking for help with their job search are more likely to trust someone who provides a lot of quality content rather than a website that just says "buy, buy, buy."

There's something about consistency that really builds trust. Anyone can put up a website to start selling resume writing services, but if you're producing high quality content for six months, people will instinctively trust you a lot more. They'll think you'll still be around to help them six months down the line.

Build Your Platform Before You're Thirsty
One of my favorite books is Harvey Mackey's "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty."



The same is true for resume writers -- build a list of prospective clients before you need them! Your platform is your list of clients and prospective clients who are interested in what you have to say. Let's say you want to launch a LinkedIn profile rewriting service. If you haven't been publishing content and building your mailing list, how will you find people who want this service? It would be very hard. But if you've already been publishing content for months, you'll already have a reader base you can use to launch your new service!

The "Secret" to Good Content Marketing
Great content marketing is really as simple as focusing on providing good content, consistently.

Good content should be compelling content. One of the best ways to create content is to use examples from your work with clients. People can relate to the struggles of your clients -- and learn from the lessons you teach them of how you helped those clients with their specific challenges.

Don't be disappointed if it takes some time to build up your reader base. That's how it works: reputations take time to become established. Fortunately, once your reputation is established, it also builds momentum and can grow very quickly. It's not an overnight technique; so the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll start reaping the benefits.

If you're interested in content marketing, check out "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients" (teleseminar recording and transcript) and the "Resume Writer's Guide to Article Marketing" (which is the July special report for Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com).

Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Resume Writers

I get a lot of questions from resume writers about how to avoid the "Time for Dollars" Trap -- that is, how to unlink your income from billable hours. Affiliate marketing is one way to start this journey.

You may be doing affiliate marketing without even knowing it. For example, if you write a resume and refer your client to Bob Bronstein at Profile Research to research employers and distribute the resume and cover letter, you’re engaging in affiliate marketing. If your client mentions that you referred them to Bob, he will send you a check for a percentage of the order. That’s affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is a revenue sharing opportunity between two companies. Business one (the “advertiser”) pays business two, the “publisher” (that’s you) for sending new customers to them. They may pay you for “traffic” — which is visits to your site; they may pay you for “leads” — which are qualified customer names who may end up purchasing their products or services; or they may only pay for sales, or when a purchase is actually made.

You can choose to be an affiliate for an individual company (on their website, look at the very bottom of the page and you might find a link for “Affiliates”) or join an affiliate network. Affiliate networks connect advertisers with publishers. Companies that offer their affiliate programs through networks often are making a significant commitment to their affiliate program, because they’re paying anywhere from $500 to $6000 or more to be a part of that affiliate network. Advertisers that also have a dedicated individual to serve as their affiliate relationship manager are also more committed to the success of their affiliate program — which means more support for you.

You can also work with individual providers. Profile Research is an example of this. Bob tracks the business you refer to him without the use of an affiliate network, and without a formal affiliate program. If you are a resume writer, you might also set up this type of relationship with a career coach, if you don’t offer career coaching yourself. The client mentions they were referred by you, and the career coach might pay you a flat fee or percentage of the client’s order. The same might be true if you are a career coach who refers to a resume writer. (If you're interested in pursuing this type of informal relationship, I suggest the "Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships with Recruiters" Special Report, which also covers developing referral relationships with other third parties, including career coaches.)

There is also a third type of affiliate program. I mentioned the terms “advertiser” and “publisher” to describe the companies. The placement of ads on your online content is also a type of affiliate marketing. The most common of these relationships is with Google’s AdSense program. Any business can purchase ads through Google’s AdWords program. If your website or blog matches the demographics of the customer the advertiser is looking to reach, his or her ads will appear on your content, and you’ll get paid for people who look at the ad … and you’ll get paid more when they click on the ad.

P.S. One of my most popular blog posts was an interview I conducted with Steve Shellist with ResumeSpider.com on affiliate marketing for resume writers. Check it out here.

Here's What You're Missing...

If you’re not a member of BeAResumeWriter.com, here’s what you’re missing right now… (for only $10/month you get EVERYTHING on this page)…

Latest and Greatest Learning Opportunities
First, there is a monthly training webinar that you’ll get the recordings for -- AND transcripts -- as part of our "Expert Interview Series." Here's the recordings currently available on the site:

• "Building Affiliate Relationships to Grow Your Resume Business"
• "The Employment Game: How Are You Preparing Your Clients" with Janine Moon
• "Feed the Media: How to Get Publicity For Your Resume Writing Business"
• "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients"
• "Five Keys to Generating New Business With Online Marketing" with Mark McLaren

Click here to get access to the recordings of all the teleseminars above -- PLUS, keep reading to see what else you'll get!

AND...

Each month you'll get a new Special Report, helping you be more effective in your resume writing business:

• Write Great Resumes Faster (sells for $14)
• Resume Writer's Online Marketing Guidebook: 21-Step Guide to Taking Your Resume Business Offline to Online (sells for $14)
• Maximizing Your Cash Flow: Subcontracting and Referral Relationships (sells for $10)
• Making Money Writing E-Books
• Referral-Based Marketing Strategies: How to Generate New Clients For Your Resume Writing Business
• Website Traffic Secrets for Resume Writers
• Time Management and Productivity Strategies for Resume Writers
• Emotional Marketing: Connecting With Resume Clients

(The previous month's report is removed when the next month's Special Report is added. You can purchase some of the previous reports separately -- see the links above.)

Plus additional BONUS special reports each month (these are changed out monthly). Currently, the bonus special reports available are:

• "Using Google Checkout In Your Resume Writing Business"
• "101 Productivity Principles For Getting Things Done"
• "Advanced Features of Microsoft Word: Document Review"
• "Twitter Tracking & Analytics"
• "Practical and Creative Online Business Branding"
• "Membership Sites and Partnerships"
• "Offline Advertising and Promotion"
• "Marketing Ideas for Business"

Click here to get access to this month's special report -- "Emotional Marketing: Connecting With Resume Clients" and the bonus special reports listed.

AND...

You'll also get access to Pass-Along Materials -- brandable, ready-to-go content you can use with your resume writing clients. These are articles, checklists, and special reports provided in Microsoft Word format that you can simply stick your name on and use "as is," or edit and/or rewrite into new content. These resources will help your clients be more effective in their job search, but you don't have to take hours and hours to write them. Each month, you have access to a unique PAM content package.

Here are the topics addressed:

• "Do You Have Any Questions for Me? The Question Every Candidate Should Be Prepared to Answer In An Interview" (October 2011)
• "Getting Started With LinkedIn In Your Job Search" (November 2011)
• "Jobseeker's Guide to References" (December 2011)
• "Job Search Advice: 365+ Ready-To-Go Tweets and Facebook Posts" (January 2012)
• "Jobseeker's Guide to Salary Negotiation" (February 2012)
• "Jobseeker's Guide to Online Reputation Management" (March 2012)
• "Getting Started With Facebook In Your Job Search" (April 2012)
• "What To Do Next With Your Resume" (May 2012)

(Previous Pass-Along Materials packages are removed when the next month's PAM content is added. You can purchase some of the previous PAMs -- see the links above.)

Click Here to Join BeAResumeWriter.com and Get Access to the "What To Do Next With Your Resume" Pass-Along Materials Report. I've Nicknamed it, "You've Got Your Resume: Now What?"

You'll also get access to the ENTIRE BACK ISSUE ARCHIVE of the Resume Writers' Digest newsletter. This is literally hundreds of pages of great articles and information dating back to 1999, including recaps of conference sessions on resume writing, marketing, and business management.

On BeAResumeWriter.com, you also get access to "Business Forms & Templates" you can use. Here's a quick list of what's available (new forms are added regularly!):

• Resume Critique Form
• Instruction Sheet for Final Files
• Company Profile Sheet
• Backup Resources
• Resume Writing Business Checklist
• Subcontractor Tracking Form
• Business Expense Budget
• Monthly Trending Report
• Promotional Calendar Template
• Conference Budget Form
• Conference Quick List

You'll also have access to an Enhanced Membership Directory -- and your listing on BeAResumeWriter.com is searchable by prospective clients looking for a resume writer. (You'll find a link to the BeAResumeWriter.com Directory of Professional Resume Writers on Google.)

Have you heard that blogging can build your business? Check out our 10-video series on "Building a Better Business Blog" -- currently available for Bronze members. Previously, we had a 10-video series on "Web Marketing Intensives." These resources are changed out periodically.

Speaking of "resources" -- check out our Public Relations Resources. Building on the information offered in the "Feed the Media" teleseminar (available for download or streaming audio on the site), you'll have access to:

• 12 Timely News Release Topics
• 25 Reasons to Send a News Release
• News Release Ideas from A to Z
• Sample News Releases

All that ... for $10/month. Seriously -- is there a better value for your dollar?

JOIN TODAY.

Guest Post: Clarifying Social Media Strategy with the POST Method

By Christine Gallagher

It sounds simple, but before you implement a new marketing strategy in your business, you need to first know what your objectives are. That is, what is it that you are trying to accomplish? Social media is no different. It's not enough to want to add it to your marketing mix because "everyone else is doing it."

Luckily, Forrester Research came up with a handy little acronym, which my colleague Amy Miyamoto and I also included in our Social Media Made Simple webinar series. It's called the POST Method, and it's a really easy way to frame your social media strategy. Here's how it breaks down:

P: Who are the PEOPLE you would most like to attract via your social media presence on sites such as Twitter and Facebook? For example--mentors, colleagues, strategic alliance partners, raving fans, potential clients, local connections? Or a combination of these?

O: What are your primary OBJECTIVES for your Social Media presence? For example, is it to get found by those who are looking for your services or products, finding and interacting with current and potential clients and customers, building a community around your business, creating awareness of your content and offerings, building relationships with potential strategic alliance and referral partners, learning from mentors?

S: What Social Media STRATEGIES do you plan to implement? Will you have a Twitter profile, a Facebook Fan Page, a LinkedIn profile, join a Facebook Group, start a blog? Which ones have priority over others?

T: What TECHNOLOGIES will you use? For example--Hootsuite, Twellow, Ping.fm, Twitpic, YouTube, Bit.ly for link shortening? (The ones you determine to be of highest priority to you will influence the kinds of actions you take on the social media sites you have a presence on.)

Finally, for bonus points, you could also include "M" as in "how will you MEASURE your results?" Understandably, businesspeople still want to know the ROI of their activities--and although this is not as cut and dry to measure in social media, there are still certain numbers that you can look to: your number of newsletter or blog subscribers, number of followers and fans, your website traffic, the amount of comments on your blog, how many purchases made, etc.

The POST method is a good basic structure for starting to define your social media plan, objectives, and priorities. By identifying all the relevant parts of the structure you are creating a clearer vision and purpose--as well as implementing goals, strategies, and tools that will best enable you to effectively reach the ideal people you are looking to connect with through social media.

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Christine Gallagher is founder of ShesGotClients.com, a company dedicated to teaching women entrepreneurs all over the world how to use authentic relationship marketing and online strategies to attract raving fans, enroll more clients, and enjoy more income and freedom in their business, all while sharing their gifts and their message in a much bigger way.

Christine created The 6 Simple Steps to Kick Start Your Social Media Success System(TM), a real-world, step-by-step "roadmap" that teaches entrepreneurs how to consistently bring in new clients and customers using the Internet.

Through her coaching and training business, Christine helps entrepreneurs maximize their profits using an integrated social media and online marketing strategy, and teaches them how to stop trading dollars for hours by using online information marketing techniques.

Christine was recently featured as a social media marketing expert in the book Get Scrappy: A Small Business Owner's Guide to Marketing On Less, as well as profiled as one of "16 Brilliant Business Minds on Twitter" by The Huffington Post. Her blog was also recently chosen as one of the top 50 small business blogs by Konector.com, and her newsletters, products, and online reach now educate and inspire over 18,000 people every month.

Learn more about Christine, her products, programs and courses at ShesGotClients.com

Sign up for Christine's "Get Out There" Ezine. Click here.