Heat Up Your Summer Marketing

I live in Omaha, Nebraska, in the middle of the U.S. However, for the past few weeks, I feel like we've been living in an oven. Temperatures routinely are in the upper 90s, and got up to 106 last Sunday! (The photo is a screenshot from my iPhone on Sunday morning -- it was already 91 degrees at 11 a.m.!) We finally got our first rainfall last night in about a month. Nebraska is officially classified in a "drought." (I can attest to this -- my yard is yellow and brown.) Yikes!

When the temperature is like this, it can feel like there is no end in sight -- but the fact is, cooler weather will eventually be coming our way. It may be the same with your resume writing business. You may have lots of clients at the moment, with no end in sight ... but if you don't continue to market your business, eventually, you'll face a "drought" in your resume writing business too.

If you're currently in a "drought" in your resume writing business -- or if you want to prevent one down the road -- there are some things you can do to attract new clients. In a resume writing business, it takes a constant infusion of new clients to keep your business growing.

Ways to Find New Clients

Here are some tips to help you begin to make a change right now, today, that will benefit your resume writing business.

• Take a fresh look at your marketing plan. At least once a year, you should revisit your marketing plan. What are you doing now? How can you revamp those marketing tools and employ some new ones? (For example, for 2012, I cut out all paid Yellow Pages advertising, but have budgeted to spend on Facebook and LinkedIn ads.)
• Become a social networker. Twitter and Facebook are valuable tools for resume writers who want to take their business to the next level. If you don't have an account with either or both, now is the perfect time to get started. If business is slow for you at the moment, social media doesn't require much money -- instead, you can invest your time in building your online profile.
• Advertise your business on your personal Facebook page. Do your friends know what you do for a living? Post links to new content on your website and other promotional links that friends and family can view and share. Just yesterday, I got a call from a new client who was referred to me by one of my best friends. This happens to me at least once a month, because I post careers-oriented content on my personal Facebook page. Also, create a fan page for your resume writing business. Encourage current clients to sign up and tune in for special information or offers that they won't find anywhere else. I use a tool called "Hootlet" from Hootsuite to share articles on social media. It allows me to schedule Facebook updates or tweets automatically so that I can find 3-4 articles to share while I'm surfing, but Hootlet will spread them out so they don't get shared all at once.
• Market yourself offline too. Even if your resume writing business is 100% virtual (operating online), that doesn't mean that your local market won't also benefit. Some offline tools include posting flyers, public speaking, appearing in local media (TV, radio, newspaper) and using promotional items (like free pens).
• 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.
• Create a press release. I mentioned getting local media coverage. The easiest way to do this is through a press release. (Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com can find sample news releases and pitch ideas on the "Public Relations Resources" page in the Paid Member Resources section.) You should also check out the "Feed the Media: How to Get Publicity for Your Resume Writing Business" teleseminar recording and transcript for more information and ideas.

Remember -- your marketing efforts are cumulative. Sometimes a single drop can turn into a torrential rainstorm. Whether you're "hot" now and anticipating a cool-down later  -- or if you're in a drought now and need it to "rain" clients, try these ideas.

Guest Author: If You Want to Get Clients…

...You'll Have to Talk to Them

By C.J. Hayden, MCC
Author, Get Clients Now

"I've done everything I can think of to get clients," a desperate self-employed professional writes. "I printed a brochure, I have a web site, and I've placed ads. But no one is hiring me. What am I doing wrong?"

This unhappy business owner has made a common mistake. He seems to believe that investing money in placing ads and creating marketing materials will somehow produce clients without the direct involvement of the business owner.

Perhaps professionals who make this mistake are trying to follow a big business model. They hide behind a company name, expensive marketing literature, and a web site. They spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on ads, directory listings, and trade show booths. Far too many self-employed professionals don't even disclose their own name in their marketing.

But people don't buy professional and personal services from an anonymous company; they buy them from individual people they have learned to know, like, and trust. The more personal -- or the more expensive -- the service you offer is, the more likely this is to be true.

If you are a career counselor, life coach, or massage therapist, you are asking people to trust you with the most personal areas of their lives. If you are a web designer, IT consultant, or corporate trainer, you are asking your clients to trust you enough to spend thousands of dollars with you. You don't earn people's trust by sending them a brochure.

Here are the five things that work best for most professionals to get clients:
1. Meeting people in person -- at events or by appointment
2. Talking to people on the phone
3. Sending personal letters and emails
4. Following up personally over time
5. Speaking to groups at meetings and conferences

And here are the five things self-employed professionals most often try that don't work:
1. Placing ads in the Yellow Pages or local newspaper (Editor's Note: Yellow Pages ads still work for resume writers, depending on the clientele and geographic market you are targeting.)
2. Distributing flyers around their community
3. Mailing mass-produced letters or brochures to strangers
4. Sending their newsletter to people who haven't asked for it
5. Posting their brochure on the Internet and calling that a web site

The main difference between these two lists is that the first list requires you to talk to people. On the second list are anonymous activities that allow you to hide out and never meet the people you are in business to serve.

If you want people to become your clients, they need to get to know you, learn to like you, and believe they can trust you. And for that, they really do need to meet you.

It is understandable why so many business owners gravitate to the least effective marketing tactics -- they are so much easier! To buy an ad, all you have to do is put up the money. To send a letter, all you need is an address and a stamp. It's much more challenging to go out and meet strangers, or to call people on the phone and ask for their business.

But the reality is that this is what it takes. Even if you have the world's best web site, it's a rare client who finds their way to it, reads it, and decides then and there to work with you. The same is true for a brochure. Both of these marketing tools are simply that -- tools. Just like a pair of pliers, they need a person holding them in order for them to work.

What clients want is to get a sense of who you are as a person. They want to see your face or hear your voice, to get to know you over time. If you don't have enough confidence in your business to speak to people in person about it, how will they ever have enough confidence in you to hire you?

What you'll discover if you begin to meet clients in person, talk to them on the phone, and ask directly for their business, is that it gets easier the more you do it. It will build your confidence in yourself -- and the confidence your prospective clients have in you -- at the same time.

If you're in the business of serving people, your best marketing tool is your own voice. So put it to work and start talking to them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright C.J. Hayden.
To subscribe to the "Get Clients Now!" e-newsletter
visit http://www.getclientsnow.com

Top Keywords for Your Resume (A-N)

Keywords are more important than ever on resumes as more and more companies use Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software.

Keywords are usually nouns or short phrases which refer to work experience, education, training, terminology, licensure, affiliations, skills, and abilities within a specific industry and/or profession.

Resumes are electronically searched for keywords matching the position's responsibilities or other criteria deemed relevant for the role (i.e., a bachelor's degree for a pharmaceutical sales position).

Work in keywords throughout the resume -- not just in a keyword summary section. Some applicant tracking systems can determine contextual cues, so use keywords in job descriptions, achievement bullets, and Qualifications Profiles.

.net
3PL / TL / LTL
401K

A/R Management
Academic Advising
Account Analysis
Account Executive
Account Maintenance
Account Management
Account Penetration
Account Reconciliation
Account Relationship Management
Account Retention
Account Settlement
Accountant
Accounting
Accounting Management
Accounting Software
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Receivable/Payable
ADA
Administration
Administrative
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Expertise
Administrative Management
Adult Education
Advanced Technology
Advertising
Advertising & Marketing
Advertising Collateral
Advertising Design
Advertising Planning
Advocacy
Analysis & Forecasting
Analyst
Animation
Annual Reports
Applicant Screening
Applicant Tracking
Application Design
Application Development
Appointment Management
Architect
Architectural Design
Architecture
Art Design
Art Direction
Assessment Processes
Asset Management
Asset Protection
Asset Recovery
Asset Valuation
Association Management
Audio Production
Audit
Audit Controls
Audit Management
Audit Reviews
Auditing
Auditor
Audits
AutoCD
Automotive Knowledge

B2B and B2C Sales
Bank Compliance
Bank Operations
Bank Reconciliation
Banking
Banking and Cash Management
Banking Practices
Banking/Finance
Basel II Regulations
Benchmarking
Benefits Administration
Benefits Analysis
Benefits Integration
Benefits Management
Best Practices
Bilingual
Board Relations
Bookkeeper
Brand Operations
Branch Sales
Branch Visibility
Brand Awareness
Brand Building
Brand Cultivation
Brand Management
Brand Operations
Brand Response Advertising
Branding
Branding & Advertising
Branding Identity
Budget Administration
Budget Allocation
Budget Development
Budget Management
Budget Oversight
Budgeting
Budgeting & Finance
Budgeting/Forecasting
Budgets
Building Inspections
Business Administration
Business Analysis
Business Analyst
Business Consulting
Business Continuity Planning
Business Development
Business Images
Business Leadership
Business Management
Business Operations
Business Planning
Business Process Consulting
Business Reengineering
Business-to-Business
Buyer

#+
Call Center
Campaign Development
Campaign Management
Campaign Planning
Candidate Recruitment
Candidate Selection
Candidate Sourcing
Capital Budgets
Capital Investment Analysis
Career Development
Case Management
Cash Flow Analysis
Cash Flow Optimization
Cash Management
Cash Management & Collections
Catering
Change Management
Chapter Development
City Planning
Civil Engineer
Claim Management & Avoidance
Clerical
Client Consultation
Client Management
Client Needs Analysis
Client Presentations
Client Relations
Client Retention
Client Service
Client/Server Technology
Clinical Consultant
Clinical Services Management
CNC
Code Compliance
Code Enforcement
Code Testing
Cold Calling
Collections
Commercial Architecture
Commercial Loan Operations
Commercial/Retail Banking
Communication
Communication Strategy
Communications
Community Outreach
Community Relations
Compensation
Compensation Analysis
Compensation/Benefits
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Intelligence
Competitive Market Analysis
Competitive Market Intelligence
Competitive Market Positioning
Compliance
Compliance Reporting
Compliance/Auditing
Computer-Aided Testing
Concept Development
Conference Planning
Conflict Resolution
Consensus Building and Teaming
Construction
Construction Estimating
Construction Planning
Consultative Sales
Consumer Banking
Continuous Improvement
Continuous Process Improvement
Contract Administration
Contract Negotiations
Contracts
Controller
Convention Management
Copyediting
Corporate Accounting
Corporate Administration
Corporate Communications
Corporate Development
Corporate Marketing
Corporate Mergers
Corporate Retirement/Pension
Corporate Strategic Business Planning
Corporate Tax
Corporate Tax Filings
Corporate Tax Planning
Corporate Training
Corporate Vision and Strategy
Cost Analysis
Cost Avoidance
Cost Containment
Cost Control
Cost Reduction
Costuming
CPA
Creative Design
Creative Development
Creative Direction
Creative Innovation
Creative Problem Solving
Creativity
Credit & Collections
Credit Management
Crisis Communications
Crisis Management
Crisis Planning
Curriculum Development
Custodial Accounts
Customer Management
Customer Needs Assessment
Customer Relations
Customer Relationship Management
Customer Retention
Customer Service

Data Analysis
Data Collection & Analysis
Data Entry
Data Modeling
Data Processing
Decision-Making
Demand Forecasting
Demographic Analysis
Design Development
Design Elements
Designer
Development Coordination
Diagnosis & Treatment
Dictation
Digital Recording
Discrimination Investigations
Distribution Management
Distributor Relations
Document Management
Document Processing
Due Diligence

Earnings Distribution
E-Commerce
Educational Administration
Educational Programming
EEO
Efficiency Improvement
Employee Assistance
Employee Benefits Planning
Employee Development
Employee Education
Employee Improvement Plans
Employee Recruiting & Staffing
Employee Relations
Employee Safety
Employee Security
Employee Training
Employment Law
Engineer
Engineering Management
Entry Level
Environmental Compliance
Escalated Customer Service
Estate Planning
Estimator
Event Design/Execution
Event Graphics
Executive Assistant
Executive Management
Expense & Inventory Control
Expense Control
Expense Elimination
Expense Management
Expense Tracking
Expense Tracking & Analysis

Facilities Management
Feasibility Studies
Field Inspections
Field Sales Force Management
Finance
Finance and Accounting Management
Financial Accountability
Financial Administration
Financial Aid
Financial Analysis
Financial Analysis and Reporting
Financial Analyst
Financial Audits
Financial Controls
Financial Management
Financial Modeling
Financial Models
Financial Performance
Financial Planning
Financial Reconciliation
Financial Reporting
Financial Reports
Financial Restructuring
Financial Services
Financial System Design
Financial Systems
Fiscal Management
Fleet Scheduling
Food & Beverage
Food Preparation
Forensic Accounting
Front Desk Management
Fundraising/Development

GAAP
General Accounting
General Ledger
General Ledger Accounting
General Ledger Entries
Global Brand Strategy
Global Market Expansion
Goal Setting
Government Affairs
Grant Writing
Graphic Design
Gross Margins
Guest Relations

Health & Wellness
Health Education
Healthcare Administration
Help Desk
HIPAA Compliance
Hiring/Training/Supervision
Hospitality
Hotel Management
HR Liaison
HR Management
HR Strategy & Services
HTML
Human Resources
Human Resources Administration
HVAC

Identity Development
Illustration
Illustrator
Incentive Planning
Infection Control
Information Systems
Information Systems Maintenance
Information-Driven Revenue Management
Innovative Design
Innovative Leadership
Inside Sales
Inspection
Instructional Technology
Insurance
Insurance & Risk Management
Insurance Plans
Interactive Video
Interface Design
Internal Controls
Internal Systems and Controls
Internal/External Audits
International Exposure
Internet
Internet Banking
Internet Technology
Interviewing & Hiring
Inventor Relations
Inventory Management
Investment Management
Investment Strategy
Investment/Retirement Planning
ISO 14000
Itinerary Management

J2EE
Japanese
Java
Joint Ventures & Alliances
Journalism

Key Accounts
Kitchen Management
Kitchen Operations

Labor Expense Management
Laboratory Services Management
Layout & Design
Lead Generation
Leadership
Leadership & Management
Lean Manufacturing/JIT
Legal Compliance
Legal Qualifications
Legal Secretary
Legal Technology
Legislative Advocacy
Legislative Analysis
Legislative Review
Lexis Nexis
Liability Management
Loan Balancing
Loan Officer
Loan Processor
Loan Production
Logistics
Logo Design
Logo Development
Long-Range Planning
Loss Prevention

Maintenance
Management by Objectives
Management Reporting
Manager
Manpower Allocation
Manufacturing
Market Analysis
Market Expansion
Market Growth & Penetration
Market Penetration
Market Positioning
Market Research
Market Risk Management
Market Segmentation
Market Share Growth
Marketing
Marketing & Advertising
Marketing Communications
Marketing Management
Marketing/Promotions
Mathematical Aptitude
Media Buying
Media Planning
Media Relations
Medical
Medical Assessment
Medical Information Specialist
Medical Records Management
Medical Terminology
Member Communications
Member Development
Member Recruitment
Member Retention
Member Services
Mentoring and Coaching
Merchandising
Merchant Services
Mergers & Acquisitions
Microsoft
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Word
Month-End Closing
Mortgage
Motivation of Sales Team/Agents
Multi-Cultural Sensitivity
Multilingual Fluency
Multimedia
Multimedia Campaigns
Multimedia Design
Multisite Operations
Multi-Site Operations

Needs Analysis
Needs Assessment
Negotiations
Network Administration
New Business Acquisition
New Business Development
New Business Planning
New Media
New Product Introduction
New Product Launch
New Store Opening
Newsletter Development
Nurse

Five-Part Series on Affiliate Marketing: Your Online Presence

The second step in developing effective affiliate relationships is having a website, blog, or online presence. 

E-newsletters are nice, but you’re not going to get everyone to opt into receiving your e-newsletter. So if you don’t have some other online presence — and most often that is a website or blog — you’re missing out on the opportunity to talk to non-clients — or prospective clients — about your services — but also your affiliate marketing services.

The same content-to-advertising ratio used in e-newsletters applies to your website and blog. Make sure you’re providing useful content in both of these forums — and don’t­ let it overshadow your primary marketing focus — whether that’s resume writing or career coaching.

And make sure you disclose your affiliate marketing relationships. (But that's a whole other blog post!)

Next up in the series: What you shouldn't be promoting with your affiliate marketing.

Create an Email Marketing Course to Promote Your Resume Writing Business

© pathakdesigner - Fotolia.com

Even with the popularity of social media, email marketing remains one of the best ways to connect with prospective resume clients. The key is getting them to provide you with their email address. One way to capture email addresses of prospects is to enroll them in an email course! How do you get them to sign up for the email course? Help them solve a job search-related problem!

An email course combines email marketing with information marketing. Use an autoresponder like AWeber to set up the enrollment process (AWeber will automatically generate the code to copy-and-paste onto your website or blog to capture email addresses and it will also handle the fulfillment of the delivery of the emails to those who sign up.)

Probably the most intimidating part of this process is coming up with the content for the email course. But actually, that's not as difficult as it seems either! You can either re-purpose information you already share with your clients -- or use Pass-Along Materials.

(You can take almost any of the Pass-Along Materials and divide it into lessons. Each message can be anywhere from 150 to 1,000 words. Make sure each email message builds upon the last one while also offering a benefit. Be sure to include a call to action. For example, you may direct readers to visit your blog for more information on the topic, or you might send them to a sales page on your website where they can learn more about your services related to that topic.)

Your email course needs to scream BENEFIT to your readers. It's not as difficult as it might sound. One way to easily demonstrate the benefit is to position it in the title of the course. For example,"Five Ways to Make More Money in This Job -- Or Your Next Job" can walk them through the principles of salary negotiation.

Think about how you can provide the most value to prospective resume clients and then craft a course that solves a problem for them. Make sure the title of the course makes the benefit apparent. (One recommendation: Don't teach subscribers how to write more effective resumes or cover letters -- these types of courses are not as effective in converting prospects into clients as email courses focusing on topics that are related to other areas of the job search -- LinkedIn, salary negotiation, online reputation management, etc.)

When formatting your email course, each lesson should follow an easy-to-use format. This system ensures your readers know what to expect. It also makes it easier for you to create valuable content with less effort. Here's a template you can use or re-work to fit your needs:

• Address your reader by name and start the lesson with a short sentence that identifies the topic of the lesson. 
• Write the content of your lesson. Use bullet points, steps, or numbers to help make it easy to read.
• End the lesson with a look ahead to the next lesson. This helps motivate your reader to look forward to your emails. 
• Include a signature and a P.S. that includes a call to action. 
• Start the next lesson by briefly reviewing what they learned in the previous lesson and introducing the current lesson. 

If you currently have an email marketing system in place, consider updating it with a course. You can use it to drive traffic, build a larger list, sell more products or services, and strengthen your relationships with prospective — and even current — clients.

Five-Part Series on Affiliate Marketing: Promotion

This is the last post in a five-part series on affiliate marketing. The fifth thing you need to make affiliate relationships work is a promotional plan. 

Banner ads and text links are the two most common ways to promote your affiliate relationships. You can use these in a variety of formats. Using an e-mail list to sell the product is also a great way to promote your affiliate links (see the first post in the series, on list-building). Less common are print pieces.

As I talked about with steps 1 and 2 — building your list and developing additional online venues to showcase your affiliate relationships, you’re likely to generate little or no affiliate income if you don’t have a promotional plan in place.

For example, if you have a website, blog, and e-newsletter, you want to develop a schedule for when you will promote which affiliate relationships, and in which medium. You might have a banner ad on your website, which stays pretty constant over time. You might decide to run an ad in your e-newsletter every issue. But you should also plan your content. For example, writing an article on using the product or service for your blog and then excerpting pieces of that article in a couple of issues of the newsletter. If you don’t plan this out ahead of time, when it’s time to put your newsletter together, you might forget to include the ad and/or excerpt.

You can expect some support from your affiliate marketing partners when rolling out your promotional plan. Many of them offer pre-developed “creative” -- which is basically the “artwork” you’ll put on your blog or website. This is often in the form of customized code that you can copy-and-paste into your website code or onto your blog. Some offer affiliate newsletters, which alert you to new offers they are promoting, or provide you with articles that you can customize for your customers.

Some affiliate programs offer contests and other special bonuses. For example, last year, Ellen Britt, of Marketing Qi (pronounced “CHI”), who offers information products for social marketing, had a promotion for her affiliates called a “Ice Cream Social Media Sale.” She put together a package of information products from herself as well as a couple of other social media gurus and offered it over a multi-day promotion. You could purchase it for as little as $57 the first day, and it went up each day, until on the last day, you could purchase the same package for $197. She mobilized her affiliates to promote the program, offering them 50 percent commission on the sale … but also offered a couple of additional prizes. The affiliate that sold the most packages received one day of hands-on training with Ellen in Atlanta (it included one night’s lodging at a resort, but the winner had to pay his or her own transportation), and the second prize was an ice cream maker. You can see this promotion at http://icecreamsocialmediasale.com/.

You might also get ideas on how to market your products and services from the affiliate advertiser. Some will provide you with case studies of their most successful affiliates. Others offer tutorials or videos.

Keep In Touch Marketing

My birthday is in September, and I'm amazed at the volume of mail I'm getting from businesses to honor this special day. I don't think many of my family members will send a card, but I've received cards -- and even a small plastic bottle -- from the Nebraska Lottery, Canfield's Sporting Goods, and two local restaurants, among others. Real estate and insurance agents are masters of it: Keep in touch marketing.

It's the art (and science) of keeping your name in front of clients, prospects, referral sources, and the media. It's not difficult -- although it does take a commitment. It's not expensive, but it does require an investment of your time.

The goal of keep in touch marketing is to put something in front of your target audiences 6-8 times per year.

As Lois K. Geller, author of "Response! The Complete Guide to Profitable Direct Marketing" writes:

quote:

---

One of the best ways to develop customer loyalty is to establish ongoing communication with the people who are most important to your business. One of my favorite methods of ongoing communication is to offer customers education. Another method of continuing communication with your customers is to send them something they can use throughout the year to keep your name in front of them. It can be as simple as a refrigerator magnet or a pen with your name inscribed on it."

---

She goes on to say:

quote:

---

"Not all communication has to be offer-driven. You can write to give people information, to thank them for buying, to let them know you haven't heard from them in a while, or just to say hello. Of course, if you want to add an offer, that's fine too."

---

Other forms of communication programs include:
• Fliers
• Newsletters
• Educational Materials
• Birthday Cards
• Holiday Greetings
• Thank-you Notes
• Personalized Letters

Start planning your Keep in Touch marketing program today!

Tips for Starting Your Home-Based Resume Service

I've been writing this blog for a long time -- and I need to review "the basics" every once in a while, because not all of the folks who are tuning into this blog are resume writers...yet! So here's a blog post about getting started ... and, in particular, how to start a home-based resume writing business.

Purchase the book using this link:
http://bit.ly/rwd-rosebook

Honestly, when I started my resume business 15 years ago, I didn't give a thought to operating my resume writing business from my home. Of course, I was in my early 20s at the time, so I thought a business office gave me more credibility. It did. But after 7-8 years in a business office, my now-husband and I decided to get married -- and, as part of the process, we moved our business into our new home.

If I were starting a resume writing business today, I wouldn't hesitate to start -- and operate -- it from home. Technology has evolved to where you don't need to meet with clients in person. 

The current trend is towards more home-based businesses. They require lower overhead and startup money, making them easier for entrepreneurs with limited funds. If you are thinking about starting a home-based resume writing business, here are a few tips for getting started on the right foot.

Benefits of a home-based resume writing business
There are several benefits to running a home-based resume writing business. First of all, you can run the business from your home. Since you already pay a mortgage, utilities and car payments, the only thing you need spend money on now is the equipment for your business. To start a resume writing business, you basically need a computer with word processing software -- although you could use Google Docs (although I don't recommend it).

Secondly, a home-based resume writing business requires low overhead and startup costs. We alluded to the startup costs above and the low overhead means no employees but you. The key to keeping the overhead low is taking on only as many projects as you can safely and efficiently handle by yourself.

In fact, you could be a subcontract resume writer and never see clients. You could work entirely with a contracting writer and do that from home, working in your pajamas. (Check out the "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" Special Report for a step-by-step guide to working as a subcontract writer.)

Getting started tips

There are considerations before beginning any type of business even a home-based one.

1. Check out the local laws for registering and zoning a home business. Most home businesses require no zoning issues unless you will be meeting clients in your home and posting signs in the yard. (As we talked about with today's technology, you can have a home-based resume writing business without ever meeting with clients in person.)

2. Small business tax laws. Now that you are a business, you are subject to different tax exemptions, deductions and payments. Sites like www.irs.gov can give you the information you need.

3. Set up a separate work space at home. This could be as simple as using a spare bedroom or den with a door to keep your work separate. If you rely on the telephone, a separate phone line can be added. (Although you can use VOIP services or your cell phone, to reduce your expenses.)

4. Use on and offline marketing methods to find clients. This includes: viral marketing, newspaper and Yellow Pages ads, flyers and direct mailings, email marketing, article marketing, setting up a website, etc. (I recommend my "Online Business Manifesto" Special Report for details on marketing your home-based resume writing business.)

5. Create a schedule to divide time between work and family. Balancing both is hard. Scheduling time and sticking to it means more gets done and no one is slighted. (People always ask me about working from home -- they say, "Oh, I'd have a hard time working from home. I'd be too distracted by the laundry, or TV." I actually find the opposite is the case -- I'm often still working at midnight ... sometimes while I've got a load of laundry in the dryer and I'm catching up on Tivo!)

A home-based resume writing business is an alternative for people who want to work for themselves without spending a lot in upfront costs. If you have the ability to interview clients, write succinctly, and understand personal branding, consider a home-based resume writing business.

Resume Customers Will Pay More If You Show Them the Value

I’m working on a new Resume Writer’s University course on pricing and wanted to share some thoughts on a topic that you may have struggled with — or are currently struggling with.

Many resume writers — especially new ones — make the mistake of thinking that every prospective client is money-conscious and looking for rock-bottom prices. This could not be further from the truth. Think of the difference between a Toyota and a Lexus and you will see there are a range of factors that influence a purchasing decision beyond just price.

Show Them the Value
Resume clients will pay more if you show them the value of the service you offer — that is, the reason why your resume services are priced higher those of other resume writers, but also how your services offer real value.

Price and value are not the same thing. They can be related to each other, but they are not the same. A Toyota is not perceived as having the same value as a Lexus, even though they are made by the same company.

Why would this be the case? Marketing helps create this perception. You can do it with your services as compared with other resume writers.

For example, imagine you and another colleague who provide resume services to the same audience — for example, IT professionals. However, how you collect information from prospects differs. You use detailed questionnaires to collect the information, allowing the client to gather the details of their experience on their own time. Your colleague conducts an information-gathering consultation call.

Your marketing might appeal to introverted IT professionals who don’t want to “dig through” their responsibilities and accomplishments verbally. Your colleague’s marketing might appeal to IT professionals who are more comfortable “talking through” their responsibilities and accomplishments than writing them out.

Your Unique Selling Point
In other cases, the difference will not be so clear-cut, but the whole point of your marketing will be to distinguish your brand and products from others. This is commonly referred to as your unique selling point, or USP. Your USP answers the question: Why should people do business with YOU?

Reasons might include awards, industry status, your educational background, experience, and so on.

For example, if you are a resume writer with an extensive background as a recruiter who can provide insider secrets on how to connect with recruiters in the IT industry, your services will be in more demand than someone without the same authority and “street cred.”

Add Value without Spending a Lot
You can also add value to your services without spending a lot of money or time. In this way you can create the impression they are getting an even better deal for the price, even if your price is higher.

For example, you can create a range of educational items to supplement your resume services. These can include checklists, FAQs, worksheets, a quick start guide and other valuable information which will help people make the most out of the product. (Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com, you have access to these tools as part of your membership.)

You might also create some training videos to help clients with specific aspects of the job search. You can use a platform like Teachable to do this. With online education booming, and video marketing as well, making quick how-to videos can be a great way to increase the perceived value of your offerings.

A free Facebook group, members only email lists with special offers, extra content, and so on, and a special customer support portal with FAQs can take a little time to set up, but add up to big bucks.

By branding yourself as a company that offers real value for money, it will be easier to make more sales and retain customer loyalty. Resume clients will pay more as long as you are clear about the value of what you were offering, so they will feel as if they are getting the best deal possible.

Stay tuned for more information on my new course!

Guest Post: Increase Sales By Flying Under Your Prospects' "Radar Defenses"

How do you persuade someone to do what you want them to do?

A whole world of marketing exists around us trying to do that every minute of the day. Do you even notice it anymore or, like your prospects, have you subconsciously set up a system of "radar defenses" against the daily bombardment of marketing messages?

Take a minute and count up the advertising methods which fight for your attention (and money) every day. Just the basic list includes:

• Yellow page ads 
• Newspaper and magazine ads 
• Postcards, catalogs, and direct mail circulars in your "snail mail" box 
• Radio pitches interrupting the flow of your favorite songs
• TV ads - about 20 minutes worth per hour now
• Hundreds of storefronts, "mega" malls, and strip malls 
• Highway billboards by the thousands 
• Circulars hung on your doorknob
• Illegal signs on stop signs and telephone poles 
• Legitimate email messages 
• Spam email or UCE (without permission commercial email) 

Just these 11 sources can overwhelm your brain with marketing messages. Like trapped rats, people develop defenses against this never-ending onslaught. They throw up a wall or a "radar defense" that goes into action the minute they smell a "pitch" or a sales job. Don't blame them. We all do it!

So how can you get around this psychological wall against the constant sales and marketing messages? Well, the answer does NOT lie in hitting people with more frequent and obnoxious advertising or sly, sneaky tactics. You might get them to trust you for a minute, but it will backfire in the long run.

You must do two things instead:

1. First, you must establish credibility for yourself and your business as an expert. 
2. Second, you must reduce their fears about doing business with you. 

Doing these two things will get you past their defenses and allow you the opportunity to persuade them to buy your product.

So how do you accomplish these two "simple" things? What will win someone's attention, raise your credibility, and lower their fear factor all at the same time? The one-word answer really applies to most everyone.

Trust!

If a seller can get behind your defenses with information which makes you trust them, then that credibility will carry over into a sale much of the time.

How can you get this credibility?

Well, take this next fact as online marketing "gospel," for many people have proven its effectiveness.

Fact: Publishing and promoting with free articles gives you one of the most powerful opportunities available to tip the buyer's credibility scale in your favor.

How can we prove this works? Quite easily actually. Take a break from reading this and go check out a newspaper or magazine for a minute.

Which do you trust more, the ads or the articles? Most people will choose the articles hands down. Why? Because the articles don't try to "sell" you anything. Instead, they hand out useful information for educational or other practical purposes.

Most of us grew up in a culture which says we can believe and "trust" what appears in the standard "news" or "information" format. In other words, if it appears in print, then we can believe and trust the author.

So go ahead! Use this lifetime of conditioning to your advantage in selling your products and services!

Very few things will create an atmosphere of trust and confidence in people as reading one of your articles on a subject that greatly interests them. It shows you know your business. It also demonstrates you will do more than just try to sell them something.

Publishing articles literally lets you fly under their advertising "radar defenses."

So remember these points when deciding whether or not to use articles to promote your business:

1. Few things create as much trust and confidence in the minds of potential customers as reading an article you wrote on a subject which specifically and intensely interests them. 
2. Articles establish credibility quickly because, right or wrong, we've all been trained to trust the "news." 
3. An article, or series of articles, will differentiate you from the competition, who bombard people with nothing but sales messages. 
4. Providing content-rich, non-sales-oriented articles will also help build and solidify your relationship with existing customers so they give you repeat business. 

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use free articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links!

-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Need MORE TRAFFIC to your website or affiliate links?  "Turn Words Into Traffic" reveals the secrets for using FREE articles to drive Thousands of NEW visitors to your website or affiliate links... without spending a dime on advertising!
Click=> http://hop.clickbank.net/?RWDigest/ezarticles
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Guest Blog Post: E-mail Newsletters: Still Relevant?

As social media and blogging have grown more and more popular, there’s been some talk about the demise of the “lowly” email newsletter, or e-zine. Once a staple of business owners using the Internet to market and promote their businesses, it seems that lately the thinking is that they’re not so important anymore. Or, even worse, not as effective.

If you’re not familiar, an e-zine can be as simple as a plain text email with a couple of helpful tips for your readers—to a HTML version with pictures, an article, listings of your upcoming events and more.While it’s true that there is more “stuff” clamoring for our attention in our inboxes than ever before—and blogs and social media seem to be the more of-the-moment methods to reach out to potential customers—I still believe that an e-zine is a key marketing tool. In fact, it’s the perfect vehicle for continuing the relationship you’ve begun with people on social media sites or your blog.

Here are a few reasons why:

1) Keeps you top of mind

As much as we would like to think that our prospects or our audience are always thinking of us (wouldn’t THAT be nice?), it’s unfortunately not the case. Just as a company wouldn’t run a TV commercial just once, repetition is necessary to remind people of you, your offerings and your expertise.

2) Intimacy

No, not that kind. An e-zine gives you a great opportunity to create a feeling of “intimacy” between yourself and your readers by sharing a bit about what is going on with you outside of your business. (Think about what you’ve been up to lately—got anything to share about your recent vacation, your pets, a great book you’ve just finished?) Often people do this in a section at the beginning of their e-zine under a heading such as “A Note From” or something similar. This helps strengthen the relationship with your subscribers by giving them a glimpse into who you are.

3) Expert status

The more consistently you share information, tips and articles on the subject or niche you are most knowledgeable in, the more credibility you gain in the eyes of your readers. Perceived expertise leads to trust which leads to sales.

A few other tips for your e-zine:

Frequency: How often you send it depends on how often you can commit to doing so, (how’s that for an answer ? ) but I recommend at a minimum twice a month and ideally, once a week. Remember, you want to stay top of mind above all else.

Subject line: Another important part of your e-zine is your subject line. Obviously you want as many people to open your e-zine as possible, so have some fun with this. Think of what would stir up curiosity in your reader—and don’t be afraid to be a little provocative or a teensy bit controversial once in a while.

When to send: A common question is “what day is best to send it out?” There is no set answer to this, except to say that I have heard several different opinions on the matter. Tuesday through Thursday is often said to be the best time—however, I know others who send theirs out on Sunday and have a very good open rate as well. You may want to play around and test a couple of different days and see what your results are. No matter what day you choose, know that an open rate of 25% and above is considered good. Your email marketing service will be able to supply those stats.

If you’ve been hesitant about putting together your e-zine because you think you don’t have enough content or you don’t have a fancy-looking template, remember, simple is fine. Start with one tip. The sooner you make the commitment to communicate with your list on a regular basis, the sooner you can reap the benefits of that strengthened relationship.

No more excuses, ok?

Christine Gallagher, The Online Marketing and Social Media Success Coach, is founder of Communicate Value, where she is dedicated to teaching small business owners and professionals how to conquer the overwhelming aspects of online and social media marketing to increase business and maximize profits. To get your free 5-Part E-Course and receive her weekly marketing & success articles on leveraging technology, building relationships and boosting your profits, visit http://communicatevalue.com.

Struggling With Marketing Content Creation for Your Career Services Business?

You know you need to create content to market your career services business.

Content is at the center of your email marketing, driving traffic to your website, marketing, branding, conversion, list-building, authority-building, relationship-building, credibility, social media presence, revenue generation, and everything else you do to generate benefits for your audience and profit for your business. 

But do you sit down at the keyboard and think, “What should I write about?"

If so, you’re not alone!

In December, I added a new Bronze member benefit for BeAResumeWriter.com members that is designed to help increase the productivity and profitability of the marketing content you create!

Content Checklists are a series of checklists — really, mini blueprints — that give you an overview of the steps you need to take, plus plenty of tips, ideas, insights, examples, templates, dos and don’ts, and more to make your marketing content creation faster, easier, and better.

I’ve already uploaded five of the checklists to the Paid Members Resources section … and I am adding a new one on the 7th and 21st of each month.

The ones already up there are:

• The Ultimate Checklist – gives you an overview of everything you need to do to create high quality, highly effective content to grow your career services business.
• The Goal-Setting Checklist – helps you decide how to use your content in the most profitable way.
• The Topic Generation Checklist – helps you quickly and easily generate dozens — if not hundreds — of topic ideas that your audience is sure to love.
• The Brainstorming Checklist – shows you how to expand your creativity to brainstorm topic ideas, content angles, and more
• (NEW! Added today!) The Idea Starters Checklist – helps you generate dozens or even hundreds of content angles and ideas for ANY topic and ANY niche.

Whether you have a blog or online newsletter you need to create content for — or you’re looking for ideas for LinkedIn Publishing posts — these checklists will give you a boost, giving you only the best and most important steps and strategies and ideas to help you with your content-creation needs.

You can download one of the Content Checklists for free here:
Download the Ultimate Checklist

It’s just one of the many benefits of Bronze membership in BeAResumeWriter.com – including Pass-Along Materials (done-for-you content you can use to educate, help, and inspire jobseekers), Special Reports to help you be more effective in managing your career services business, Career Worksheets to help you gather impactful information from clients to create interview-winning career documents, Ready-To-Use Social Media Graphics to increase engagement with prospects and clients on social media, and now the Content Checklists! (Plus, more great stuff is coming soon!)

Join now:
BeAResumeWriter.com/join

Membership is $13/month or $144/year currently. You get immediate access to content you can put to work in your business right away!

And if you’re facing writer’s block when creating your marketing content, be sure to check out the Content Checklists first!

Here are the ones scheduled through the end of 2022:

The Talking Points Checklist (Jan. 21, 2022) 
Shows you what to include in every piece of content you create so you always have something helpful to share. 

The Knowledge and Experience Checklist (Feb. 7, 2022) 
Shows you how to maximize your knowledge and experiences to create unique, highly effective content.

The Research Checklist (Feb. 21, 2022) 
Shows you how to do great research for any piece of content so your audience grows to trust what you say.

The “Know Your Audience” Checklist (March 7, 2022) 
Shows you how to get deep insights into your audience so you can create content they want that really resonates with them. 

The Surveying Your Audience Checklist (March 21, 2022) 
All about the RIGHT way to survey your audience while avoiding skewed and biased answers. 

The Titling Checklist (April 7, 2022) 
Delivers a surefire process to help you create attention-getting content titles that stand out and get clicks.

The Outlining Checklist (April 21, 2022) 
Helps you create a logical order for your content to make it more useful for your audience (which makes them happy).

The Organizing Checklist (May 9, 2022) 
Goes a step beyond outlining to help you organize your content in a way that makes it faster and easier to write.

The Writing Checklist (May 23, 2022) 
Provides tips and tricks for making the writing process itself faster, easier, and better. 

The Opening Checklist (June 7, 2022) 
Helps you get your readers’ attention immediately and builds anticipation so they keep reading. 

The Closing Checklist (June 21, 2022) 
Provides instruction for closing your content, including encouraging readers to click on your links or take your other desired action.

The Transitions Checklist (July 7, 2022) 
Helps you create content that flows smoothly from beginning to end so that your audience doesn’t get “stuck” anywhere.

The Revision Checklist (July 21, 2022) 
Shows you how to turn your first draft into a high-quality piece of content that makes you look and sound like a pro.

The Say More Checklist (August 8, 2022) 
Helps you decide when you need to expand on parts of your content to make it more useful to your audience.

The Say Less Checklist (August 22, 2022) 
Helps you determine when to cut portions of your content to make it more focused and fluff-free. 

The Simplify Complex Processes Checklist (Sept. 7, 2022) 
Shows you how to better help your audience with how-to processes (which, in turn, helps establish your expertise). 

The Readability Checklist (Sept. 21, 2022) 
Helps you create content that’s so easy to read that your users are more likely to stay glued to the page right until the very end. 

The Fine-Tuning Checklist (Oct. 7, 2022) 
Reveals how to do those final tweaks on your content draft to create something your audience truly will benefit from. 

The Graphical Enhancement Checklist (Oct. 21, 2022) 
Shows you how to provide extra value to your readers (and increase effectiveness) with a variety of graphics. 

The Formatting Checklist (Nov. 7, 2022) 
Shows you how to format your finished content so that it looks professional and easy to read. 

The Recycling/Repurposing Checklist (Nov. 21, 2022) 
Helps you speed up content creation by showing you how to repurpose your existing content. 

The Using Pass-Along Materials Checklist (Dec. 7, 2022) 
Provides another way to speed up content creation by licensing other people’s content. 

The Engagement Checklist (Dec. 21, 2022) 
Offers ideas and insights for creating content that engages your readers right in the beginning...and keeps them interested right until the end.