Client Attraction Custom & WordPress Websites & Internet Marketing for Coaches, Therapists, Speakers & Authors » Marketing

Be More Effective in 2012

Agnes Ikotun — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:29:37 +0000

As entrepreneurs, entering a new year gives us the opportunity to review what we’ve done the previous year and what we need to do differently to grow our businesses. Here’s a timely article, published at Inc.com website that everyone one should read:

7 Things Highly Productive People Do by Ilya Pozin

You have more important things to focus on than, um, focusing. Get back on track with these tips.

You probably don’t want to admit it but you love distractions. In fact, just like monkeys, you get a shot of dopamine every time something pulls you in another direction. Why do you think you check your email so much?

Want to be more productive and get your focus back? There are no secret tricks here… do one thing at a time. Stop multitasking—it’s just another form of distraction.

Easier said than done, I know.

Continue reading at Inc.com

10 Things People Won’t Tell You About Your Website

Agnes Ikotun — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:15:19 +0000

My absolute most favorite thing to do after meeting someone both online and offline is visit their website. Many times I like what I see…both in design and messaging. But there are times when I visit a website and I think, I wish I could say something to the business owner about their website but I can’t because it won’t be positive feedback. This got me thinking about the things people would more than likely not tell you about your website.

Here are my top 10 things people won’t tell you about your website:

Your website looks home-made.
Your website does not speak to your market
Your website has many spelling and grammatical errors
Many links on your website aren’t working
The images on your website are not of great quality
Your website is difficult to navigate
Your website does not have any “call to action”
Your free gift is not set up correctly
Your website is too cluttered
You should take down empty pages

The reason why people won’t say anything is because you haven’t asked them to. It’s so much easier to give positive feedback than negative feedback especially when your opinion has not been solicited.

You might almost have a panic attack when you ask for feedback about your website/business from someone that you value their opinion and know that they would give you honest feedback. But ask all the same.

A while ago, someone mentioned that I had a stock photo on my site that had a watermark on it. I was so glad that she said this because I had asked for feedback. The watermarked photo on my site had been on my home page for almost a year and I’d missed it! We had put some text over the photo instead of the purchased version, so you could easily miss seeing the watermark if you didn’t look at it long enough and I saw the photo almost everyday! This is one of the reasons why you should ask more than a few people to review your website because everyone sees some different.

You have my permission to review my website but please be kind in your feedback delivery. I would rather have feedback that would be helpful than bury my head in the sand. We should use feedback as opportunity to correct errors, enhance our brands and grow our businesses.

Also don’t hesitate to ask me for feedback about your business website…I would be kind in delivering my constructive criticism and better yet, positive feedback if that is the case – won’t you love that! I won’t just be giving feedback but would also work with you in fixing the problem areas…only if you Ask.

Contact me for your complimentary website review and don’t hesitate to schedule a Branding and Marketing Discovery Session for your business.

Also don’t hesitate to download my free gift to you, a blueprint/guide Is Your Website Holding You Back? 7 Easy Ways to Attract and Retain Customers on Your Website. This guide is jam packed with valuable information that you can use immediately to enhance your website and business.

Do I Need A Business Website? YES, You DO!

Agnes Ikotun — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:03:50 +0000

People are asking if it’s necessary to have a business website today. Since we already have Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo and all the other gazillion social media platforms out there. Also, at least once a week, I get the “Someone advised me to have a Squeeze/Sales page instead of a full blown website” question. My answer to both questions are usually a resounding YES! Then I give my reasons…and you’ll find many of them here on my blog.

I just read a blog on Entrepreneur.com and there were very valid comments that people had made on the post “Five Reasons Why Websites Still Matter“:

@VolcanoHost said “Don’t forget that many corporate IT departments block facebook and other “time wasters” to keep employees on task. If you want to reach other businesses, you need a website.”

Agnes comments: I never thought of this POV, so true!

@Domainate said “Businesses are built upon websites. Social might help bring customers in, but they should ultimately be fed into the website. Even a company like Zynga, who has massive success thanks to Facebook, understands the benefits of having website homes for their games.”

Jessica Osman said “The web site is the flagship of any company’s online strategy. I just don’t understand those who believe it is no longer important. As a web copy writer and editor I have noticed that demand for great web sites (and excellent content) is increasing, not waning. Thanks for this article.”

@ExcelAssist said “Your last paragraph sums it all up—”…you lead first with your website.” Well said. It is, for the lack of a better term, your storefront.”

yasmike said “Our website does all of these things for us, and it has helped us grow our business.Our brand recognition is growing, we have an excellent platform for delivering content, our site can be found in search engines for many key industry terms, and our analytics show us how to improve our site and marketing efforts. I always tell my clients that their website needs to be the hub of their marketing strategies and this article will help me prove my point.”

@refreshKTG said “Website are so important they give a company in the middle of no where a chance to compete and beat out companies in NYC, or Silicon Valley.

They are the great equalizer.”

It’s so important as business owners to make the most of every available marketing arsenal but we have to decide for ourselves which marketing tool and strategies to focus on and also when.

Need A Strategic & Professional Designed Online Business Presence ?: AI Virtual Solutions works with clients to determine what strategies to implement and how to do this. We are a full service web marketing firm and we use a combination of web design, application development, internet & social media marketing, content marketing and search engine optimization to get our clients in front of their target market and we’ve successful done this for over four years.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you are a therapist, coach, speaker and author. We’ll work with you to get you on the right track in your business.

How to Maximize your Internet Resources to Gain New Clients

Agnes Ikotun — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:31:15 +0000

Today’s business owners will benefit greatly from having their own website to market to potential clients. They can effectively showcase their products and services as well as talents and skills on their website. This article outlines several internet marketing strategies that business owners can implement immediately to increase their efficiency in marketing to potential clients.

Use Social Media and Social Bookmarking Websites. Social Media websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are beneficial network and marketing websites. Social Media websites can prove to be valuable in marketing your website and the services that you offer to potential clients.

Social bookmarking sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, and Reddit, are simple; yet profitable when wanting to drive traffic to your website. These websites will aid you in establishing your brand and encourage traffic to your website. There has been an increased trend with internet based business owners; therefore, implementing a strong marketing platform will improve your website’s traffic and your
client base.

Use Blogging. Blogging is another website in the form of social media. A blog combines commentary, images, and/or links to your website. A blog allows you the opportunity to keep an online “diary” of your thoughts, progress, events and articles that pertain to your website and business. Additionally, your blog encourages user participation and allows your readers to comment on the information posted in your blog. Furthermore, several social bookmarking sites will allow you to link your blog to your social bookmarking account; which will increase your targeted audience.

Use article marketing. Writing articles for publication is an effective tool for driving traffic to your website. Websites such as Ezine Articles and Aweber allow you to share your knowledge, expertise, wisdom and in return you can receive traffic back to your website. Many article publishing websites allow you to post a profile of yourself, your business and your website at the end of each article; which will promote your business and build increased traffic to your website and/or blog.

Describe your services offered accurately. Your website is your blueprint for the service that you are offering to potential clients. When listing your services you want to be accurate and precise without becoming too wordy. Using keywords to give a description of the services you offer will amplify your potential client contacts.

Offer discounts for those who book your services through your website. Promote your services and make use of your website traffic by offering online discounts and/or specials. Also, rewarding your current client base for referring friends, family and colleagues is an attractive incentive and will increase client retention.

Provide testimonials from current or past clients. Posting testimonials on your website is an effective tool in gaining prospective clients. Potential clients will relate their business needs with your current client base. Therefore, reading testimonials from current or previous clients provides potential clients with a history of your work ethic. It will entice prospective clients to contact you.

About Us/History Page. Listing your experience, expertise and/or education will provide your potential
clients with an outline of your background. Your experience, expertise and/or education will lay a foundation for you and your new client to build upon.

Staying one step ahead of your competition is essential when marketing your website and business. Consider implementing the tools listed above and you are already on the course for success.

WordPress Websites for Coaches & Therapists

Agnes Ikotun — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 06:20:36 +0000

WordPress powers 14.7% of the top million websites in the world, up from 8.5%, and the latest data show 22 out of every 100 new active domains in the US are running WordPress.

We have designed over 100 WordPress websites since 2007

See our portfolio of coaches and therapists WordPress wesbites

How Often Should A Website Be Redesigned?

Agnes Ikotun — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:30:16 +0000

I get asked very often how frequently should a company get their website redesigned and I usually say between a year and a half to two years. Having said that, it’s important to revisit a website every time there is a change in the company’s industry, business and marketing plan.

Internet technology changes very quickly and you cannot afford for your website to be out-dated as this reflects on your company. Websites should be reevaluated every three months for content tweaks, images replacements, and links corrections. You can’t leave a website alone for a long periods of time as your website creates an impression of your business- positive or negative.

You should re-examine your website more often than not. If it’s been a year since your website had any changes, it is way past due for a revision.

Finally a website redesign should not not be about tweaking what you already have. It’s involves the same process as an initial design, aligning the website design with your business and marketing strategies plus the latest technologies. Websites should be constantly optimized for the search engines and social networking. All websites at any point in time, should be easy to navigate, be functional and contain web copy that would attract your ideal clients and customers.

I Tweet, I Post, Why Blog?

Agnes Ikotun — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:46:26 +0000

I read this very informative blog post about why it’s important to blog by Donna Toothaker, one of my good business friends and I have to share it with my readers.

Read Post:

I’m often asked by my Virtual Assistant clients, “I submit articles, I tweet on Twitter, and post on Facebook, I publish an ezine – do I still really need to blog?”

Yes, you do! And here’s why:

Connect on a personal level: A blog is a way to start a conversation about a particular subject – in this case related to your business and the issues surrounding it. By inviting your readers to join the dialogue, you create an opportunity to engage your readers – clients and potential clients — on a more personal level than in a website or even an ezine. Your posts reflect your thoughts and ideas on certain matters, making deeper connections with your readers’ ideals, values and needs. Readers can comment and commiserate on issues, offering you the chance to offer solutions. This is relationship building – taking you a step further toward creating clients for life.

The consistency of your topics is key to building and keeping an audience. Readers turn to blogs for specific information, news, ideas and conversation about a topic that is important to them. By keeping your posts consistent, you become an expert and the source of what they are searching for.

Search Engine Ranking: Fresh content is the steam that fuels search engines. And as we all know, steam rises! Again, the key is consistency in your posts. When your posts contain related keywords and phrases time and time again, search engines, like Google, put you higher in the rankings. Don’t let your blog sit idle. Post regularly and send your search engine ranking skyward!

Fewer people are subscribing to ezines: I’m one of them. I can now count on one hand the number of ezines I receive in my inbox. People are becoming overwhelmed with email and fewer are signing up to receive ezines. More people are signing up for news feeds to receive new information from sources they know and trust- blogs. If your readers are signing up for your news feed, you’re delivering fresh, timely information to them every time you post.

Not everyone is on social media: On the flip side, there are some people who are not on social media, who may prefer to receive information by e-mail. Blogs generally offer either an RSS feed or an e-mail digest. Or, with applications like Google’s Feedburner, you can create e-mail newsletters from your RSS feeds, and track the usage of your subscribers.

Reliability and control: A month or so ago both Facebook and twitter were ‘down’ for a substantial amount of time. That was a wake-up call for us to be equally active on platforms that we can control, such as a blog. Who knows what might happen to Facebook or twitter – but I know nothing will happen to my own site/blog – and therefore I make it a priority to be active there also.

Remember – there is no single magic pill in Online Marketing. Just because Facebook and twitter are so popular, doesn’t mean you should neglect the other areas. Having a blog can be an invaluable way to build a following, brand yourself as an expert, and rise in search engine rankings. Having a presence on multiple fronts (blogging, social media, website, ezine…) will put you in front of more readers, and give you the optimal return on your time.

Author: Donna Toothaker is CEO, founder and coach of Step It Up VA Coaching, http://www.stepitupva.com.

PS: We design custom blogs to match your website and seamlessly merge your existing website with your new blog. Contact us about how to get you blogging in 2011. WordPress CMS is our number one choice for blogging and web design applications. Check out our portfolio for our very extensive examples of WordPress blogs and websites.

Benefits of Article Submissions for SEO & More

Agnes Ikotun — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:34:26 +0000

I was asked recently about the benefits of article submissions, so I’d also like to share my thought on this valuable marketing activity with you, my readers.

Firstly, writing articles is one of the few ways to show that you are an expert in your field or market. So providing valuable information to your audience on a particular subject area or topic helps in developing a connection with potential clients or customers by giving them a quick snapshot of what you do and how they can gain from it.

Submitting your articles is a gift that continues to give for a long time, and here are some of the reasons:

It increases traffic to a website, giving a lot more people the opportunity to find you, your services, products, etc.
It sends one way traffic back to your website from other valued ranked sites (if your articles are submitted to the highly ranked sites).
This does not involve link exchange with other websites that do not complement your business, vision or goals.
Your article could be re-posted on other blogs and websites by people who found them to be of value.
Your article could be tweeted about and re-tweeted many times over, and fed through all the many viral marketing avenues.

Also, here are a few tips on article writing: Be specific about your subject area, kept your article short and informative, proof read for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes and give a straight-forward title that is attention grabbing.

Building A Community Around Your Business

Agnes Ikotun — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:54:42 +0000

There are many strategies that can be used to grow your business but one strategy that not only supports business growth but also helps a business owner connect and help more people is building a community around your products and or services.

There are many reasons why small business owners should not only consider this but actually have it as one of their marketing strategies.

Here are some of the advantages of having community:

You can showcase your expertise
You can reach more people compared to having mainly one-on-one relationships
Community members can communicate more frequently with you and other members
You can identify much clearer the needs of your community
Your members can identify their unique needs a lot quicker
Your community can proactively communicate their needs to you
You can gain accurate feedback from your members much easier
You can bring other experts into your community to support your members

Many business owners worry about implementing this strategy but quickly forget the idea because they feel overwhelmed by just thinking about it. This is where we are your go to people for bringing this vision to reality. You can do this and we will make it happen.

Contact us for a FREE consultation about how to strategically build a community around your business and connect with the many people that need your products and or services.

Business Showcasing

Agnes Ikotun — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:23:10 +0000

My favorite thing to do on the Internet is visit websites! I’m always excited about seeing other websites and I get inspired in the midst of all this as well.

In these latter parts of the year, a lot of business owners are working on revamping their websites and I do know that a lot of the websites that I use for various reasons are rolling out their new sites instead of waiting till the start of the upcoming year.

Are you thinking about rolling out a new dynamic website for 2011? Here are some questions on an important aspect of having a business website:

Is your website going to showcase your products and or services effectively?
Will you be offering quality real life examples for potential and existing clients to review?
Will you be putting on display rave reviews, projects, services and products you have completed?

If you are not highlighting your expertise, demonstrating the value that your potential clients and customers need….then STOP! And get back to the drawing board.

Your website is the one place where there are no restrictions to showcasing what you have to offer.

I provide a FREE 30 minutes consultation, use this opportunity to chat about upgrading your online marketing presence and how to strategically showcase your products and services.