Italian Marketing

Are you confused about how best you can use social media sites Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to grow your business? These social networking gems have evolved into sophisticated lead generation and branding tools, and with the right approach, using them is a fast and inexpensive way to promote your business.

Following are some quick and easy tips you can use to get the most out of these social media sites.

Facebook

Don’t have a large advertising budget? Facebook offers several solutions for promoting your business, and most are free!

For starters, you can create a Facebook page that serves as your “launch pad.” From there you can expand your business promotion activities by using the “connect” feature (on the advertising page) to connect your website to your Facebook account.

You can also create an online group about your business topic, and invite members to join. The content is created by members, which is a fantastic soft-sell tool, as well as a great way to build an online community of people who want to “see” and hear more from you. As members interact with your page, they can send links and stories to their friends, so news about your business can go viral.

Facebook also offers paid-for premium advertising, which allows you to target individuals who are a match for your brand. To find out more, click the advertising link at the bottom of any Facebook page.

Twitter

Twitter is a “mini blog,” where posts are limited to 140 characters. Members share with followers what they’re doing right now. Each post or “tweet” can be done by computer, cell phone or desktop application like Seesmic (seesmic.com).

Tweets have an extremely short shelf life, so don’t expect them to drive sales like a website or blog. But, Twitter is perfect for posting announcements (like the launch of a new product), advertising promotions that link to your sales pages, sharing useful information about your topic, or conducting polls of followers.

Always include a strong call to action in your Tweets. To get started with Twitter visit Twitter.com. To add a Twitter button to your website that links to your Twitter URL, Google “twitter button” to find a good selection!

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a more traditional business-to-business platform for networking. It is best used to develop business relationships, and companies use it to seek and harvest new talent. Individuals can also use LinkedIn to find the “right companies to work for” and “do business with,” as well as connect with others who already have a connection within those desired companies.

Action Steps to Make Social Media Work Better for You

From these three social media and business promotion tools, decide:

1. Which one(s) you want to use

2. What type of information you will post

3. How often will you interact with your audience (post)

Doing these steps will put you on the fast track to quickly and easily promote your business!

Copyright 2009, Bonita Richter

by: Geoff Ficke 

Aristotle Onassis was one of the most successful, publicized and examined people in the world during the middle of the 20th century. Today, years after his death, he is principally remembered as an ultra-rich shipping magnate, touring the world on his magnificent yacht and for his romance with the diva soprano Maria Callas and marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. Before he attained business and social heights, however, he was a very rough, uncultured, non-work of art. His effort to change a dim future is worth a look: and is instructional as a teaching aid that anyone can utilize in pursuit of success.

Onassis was born in Turkey of Greek parents. At the end of World War l he, along with millions of others, was forced into refugee status and arrived in Argentina as a penniless immigrant. His Spanish was minimal, his education limited and his skills on offer were not highly prized. Nevertheless, he examined his circumstance realistically and with deep analysis. He recognized that out of post-war chaos would come opportunity for the agile and creative entrepreneur. Being broke was just an obstacle, not a closed door to Onassis.

As Onassis learned the ways of Argentine society and business he noticed that there were specific clubs, restaurants, hotels and theatres that were almost exclusively frequented by the successful business and political class. Always a keen observer of human nature, he realized that contacts and friendships of value to an ambitious fellow like himself could only be nurtured in this rarified realm. Onassis was determined to find a way in.

He worked mundane jobs, including a stint as a telephone operator. However, he was different from co-workers and other immigrants. He immersed himself in all things Argentine and he saved every cent he earned that was not needed for basic sustenance. Most importantly, he recognized the old saying; “the rich are different from you and me” was so true. He needed to emulate the rich in order to become rich. He never looked at successful people as the enemy. He had aspirations, not jealousy in his heart.

Onassis became addicted to quality in all areas of life. While still poor, he saved every peso until he could afford a Saville Row hand cut suit. He only had one suit, but it was elegant. He also observed that the rich seemed to appear healthier, happier. They seemed to sport suntan skin as a badge of their fortunate lifestyle. Onassis developed a lifetime addiction to pursuit of the perfect suntan. His tan was internationally famous long before the actor George Hamilton gained similar fame. To this day, a suntan is an emblem of the good life for the successful class.

A Saville Row suit, quality personal furnishings and a suntan that reeked of idle leisure and success were only a start. Onassis was still a rough cob. Nevertheless, he believed in his ultimate destiny. He would have a drink every night at the bar of the Intercontinental Hotel in Buenos Aires, the cities finest. Only one drink, because that was all he could afford. He still worked as a telephone operator, but he kept his parallel lives as a blue-collar worker and social status seeker firmly differentiated.

His nightly visits to the Intercontinental Hotel bar gradually lead to his building a network of business and social contacts. The famous Argentine soprano Claudia Musa frequently visited the hotel. She was an adored opera star and a cultured beauty. Onassis was basically nobody and a poseur. And yet, he pursued the beautiful singer, and with his usual tenacity he won her heart. This drive to win would be displayed in every area of his long and exciting life.

Onassis recognized that Argentine women preferred a type of sweet Turkish tobacco that was not widely available in South America. Utilizing his newly found relationships; he brokered an import deal for an inventory of the tobacco. He assembled the capital necessary to organize a small factory and began to market several brands of Turkish cigarettes. This small, but successful deal was the basis for his later international business prominence.

Onassis recognized that World War 11 was imminent. The movement of war materiel was going to become crucial to the Allies winning the war. Shipping would be highly profitable, if he could find an inventory of ships to purchase. With customary elan, he found a small fleet of sturdy but well used freighters on the St. Lawrence Waterway and arranged a tight line of credit to purchase the motley flotilla. He was on his way to becoming the most famous shipping magnate in history.

Entrepreneurs, in order to succeed, often must change elements of their personal lifestyle. We have all heard the old adage, “success breeds success”. No one practiced this truism more fully and instructively than Aristotle Onassis. He bought one high quality suit. He squired beautiful women. He went to the finest clubs, even though he could not afford much more than one drink. He used his new environment, new contacts and network to benefit his single-minded pursuit of success. Why did Willy Sutton rob banks: because that was where the money was! Onassis also made the elemental decision to hang out where the money was.

I work with entrepreneurs from all walks of life: no two are alike. One of the most difficult aspects of the entrepreneurial process that must be overcome is the need to adjust lifestyle. Sacrifice today will pay dividends tomorrow. Venture capital usually will not be found in a pool hall. The necessity to improve one’s self-presentation and to network continually is paramount. You must be constantly closing the sale, improving your skills and totally focus on achieving your goal.

Aristotle Onassis worked blue-collar jobs, spoke Spanish as a third language, was a displaced immigrant on a strange continent and had zero personal assets. Nevertheless, he organized a personal plan to overcome his obstacles and lead a life of legendary accomplishment.

I spend a great deal of time in my marketing and funding consulting work coaching inventors and entrepreneurs to overcome self-imposed hurdles. Some easily recognize the need to change habits and to utilize pieces of the Onassis template. They often have the ability to succeed. Many more unfortunately, decide that they know best, markets will adapt to their wants and a shortcut to success can be taken. They always fail. This is an absolute observation.

Contact me to discuss this article, other topics related to entrepreneurial pursuitsor a specific project. Geoff Ficke, 859-567-1609.

Social bookmarking is a magic word with webmasters, and they use the technique extensively as a promotional tool. Through social bookmarking, you make your web pages easy to locate. This way, you get increased traffic and a better ranking on search engines. This is tantamount to increasing the profits you make.

So how do you get started with social bookmarking?

1. First, you have to create a site that is worth reading. Build on your website content, and make sure that these are up to date as well. Of course, everything in print must be interesting if your goal is to make online users your regular visitors. You can take help of Freelancel Writers from http://www.contentwriter.info

2. Also, you need to pack your content with relevant keywords to make sure that your target readers easily locate your site.

3. Once you have a quality web site in place, your next step is to look for social bookmarking sites where you can post your site. You can try visiting blogmarks.net, del.icious, or furl.net.

4. Next, look for bookmarks that are related to your site. Be diligent with your search. Work on submitting your websites to several sites.

I just gave you the first four steps you need to take to get started with social bookmarking. Start working on your own social bookmarking now. This technique is one of the easiest, and cheapest way to generate profit through the Internet.

Social bookmarking started gaining its popularity in 2006. Now more and more website owners are using the technique to increase their revenue. It is time to move on to dynamic advertising strategies. Remember that an active website gets all the sales, and truly worth the effort.