- Lori Osterberg
Marketing Specialist

February 27, 2007

Issue #39
Highly Recommended

 

 
 

 

 

 


 

 


 

 

Do It Yourself Website Marketing

 

 

 

 

 

See what is new at VirtualPhotographyStudio.com Photography and Business Resources Check out the lastest information posted at VirtualPhotographyStudio.com's Blog Today. Read the latest article on photography and photograph business
 
In This Issue
 
  • Success: Tweak Your Way To Success
  • Get Known: 5 Steps To Making A Change In Your Business
  • You Said?: Is It Doing All It Can?

 
"Are You The Next Winner?"

Two more days left in February. Which means two more days to enter your website to be the next VPS winner!
 
Take a look at our first five winners - you could be number six.
 
It's easy to enter; just head over to VirtualPhotographyStudio's VPS Submission page. You can enter in just a few seconds, and maybe end up being one of our award winners for 2007.
 
 
 
- Lori Osterberg
 

 *Highly Recommended *

 
"What A Great Place To Start!"
 
Everyone has to start somewhere. And if you've had a 'job' your entire working career, the thought of starting a new business can feel a little daunting.
 
"She also showed me that I'm not all alone in my new business venture!" ~JK
"Thanks for your great information - I'm a big fan!" ~ CT

"I believe it might just be the gateway I need to jump-start my success as an entrepreneur." ~BK
Starting a new business doesn't have to be a scary venture. Instead, follow in the footsteps of someone who's been there, done that.
 
 

- Lori Osterberg
 

Tweak Your Way To Success

It's not always about making massive change to your business. Sometimes it's about tweaking the little things that can have a profound impact.

Have you ever looked at someone else's business, and wondered how they gained so much success? Did they find one key to unlock the magic door?

Chances are they learned the art of tweaking. Tweaking is the ability to look at what you have, and fine-tune it. It doesn't involve colossal changes. It just takes the good in your business, and makes it better.

If you've been failing in your marketing, or just can't pull in the business like you use to, chances are its because you haven't mastered the art of tweaking.

A person with a website carrying the same look and message for two years in a row is a great example. This business owner put up a site simply to have information out online, without realizing it could be pulling in business for him every day of the week.

Find out what's working, and making slight changes to make it better. It's like a chef who keeps adding one new ingredient to perfect the recipe. Or the scientist who mixes different ratios of chemicals to produce a new reaction. They don't start over from scratch. They change one tiny portion, and try it again. And again.

Marketing your photography business can be a lot more fun once you master the art of tweaking.

Where does your business stand today? Are you brand new, starting with your first client? Or maybe you've been at it a year, but still can't make it your full time venture. Or maybe you make a comfortable living with your photography, but you want to see how far you can go.

All of these are perfect examples of businesses that can master tweaking, and go to the next level with their businesses.

Tweaking involves taking what you are already doing, and making minor adjustments to make it even better. If you suddenly make massive change, you won't be able to determine what the impact is. Instead, change one portion of your business planning, and see what happens.

  • If you send out 1,000 postcards a month, what would happen if you increased it to 2,000?
  • What would happen if you changed your offer on those 1,000 postcards?
  • What would happen if you targeted different people with those 1,000 postcards?
  • What would happen if you changed the wording of those 1,000 postcards?

The list could go on and on. But the point is you make a small change, and see how it impacts your business. If business goes away, you know you made a bad change. If you increase your sales, you change was good.



5 Steps To Making A Change In Your Business
 
What's the difference between an average business and a highly successful one? It's the way the business owner approaches their daily business tasks.
 
An average business owner will approach the day, and let things happen. She'll react to email and phone messages, and let the day unfold before her.
 
A highly successful business owner will take charge of her day, and spend her time doing the right things for her business. Here's five ways you can begin making a change in your business life, and create more success.
 
1. Create a plan. Every business needs to know the direction its heading. Create several types of plans to keep you on track: a lifetime plan to understand where your business is ultimately heading; a yearly plan to determine your action steps for the year; and a monthly plan to make sure you are reaching your goals.
 
2. Evaluate. Just because you have a plan doesn't mean you can't change. Evaluate continually what you're doing, and how it will ultimately impact your long term goals. If you need to make changes, do it.
 
3. Create a plan. A yearly plan will keep you on track, but daily goals will ensure your success. Always ask yourself if you are doing the best possible thing to help you reach your goals.
 
4. Take action. Planning is important. But planning isn't enough. You have to take action on your plans, and put them into place.
 
5. Follow through. Make sure your business is always in motion. Do you have the proper goals? Are you reaching them? Are you getting in new clients? Are you profitable?
 
Find your weaknesses, and put more action into place. You'll soon discover that you've your goals quickly, and are ready to take on new challenges!


* Highly Recommended *
 
What if you could add 10 new clients to your business - this week?

Growing your business can be exciting, rewarding, exhilarating - and scary at the same time.

While you may have found new business at your local networking function, there is a new way to find business. It's called online networking, and its growing every day.
In fact, over 67 percent of all people head online before making a purchase. They do research, compare you to competitors and other options, and even spend time chatting with others about your industry, your product, and the best options.
 
Are you using every tool available to you in the online world? Do you know what can help you grow your online business faster than you ever imagined?

Gaining new clients is easy - if you understand how to utilize the Internet to your advantage. And only a few businesses will catch on and ride this wave to the top.
 

- Lori Osterberg
 

You Said?

 
Dear Lori
I've had my website up for awhile now, but I can't really say if its helping me. A few people mention that it's nice, but I've never had anyone contact me specifically saying my website motivated the call. How do I know if my website is doing all it can? How can I improve it?
~BB
 

Dear BB,
If you've never had anyone contact you through your website, and book you exclusively by looking over your website, chances are its not doing all it can.

A website always starts out as a brochure site. It provides you with basic information about the company. Yet it does little to motivate a person to take the next step.

A website makes the conversion into a sales tool when it begins adding selling pieces. It provides a wealth of information. It motivates the prospect to take action. It asks for the sale. And it begins bringing in leads directly to the site on an ongoing basis.

This doesn't just happen overnight. It takes constant work. Yet the rewards are tremendous.

- Lori Osterberg

 

Lori Osterberg
Copyright Vision Business Concepts Inc 2007

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