Tough Times Technology info at 3rd Annual Pa Technology Conference

Low-Cost Tactics for Attracting New Business In A Tough Economy
November 13, 2008 at Duquesne Univesity Power Hall, sponsored by Duquesne Small Business Development Center

Why eMarketing Makes

More Sense Than Ever
With a global economic crisis that has led to tighter lending and spending practices, businesses need to work smarter and more strategically to attract new business and maintain market share. With its affordability and high rates of returns, eMarketing has major appeal, thanks to evolution of Internet technologies and practices.

E-mail Marketing
In the eMarketing arsenal, e-mail reigns supreme for its affordability and impact, making it one of the most powerful business-building tools available today. But to make the most of these opportunities, practitioners need to understand how recipient preferences, best practices and tracking have changed. Current research suggests that shorter subject lines (less than 50 characters) outperform longer ones, e-mail software provides better deliverability and mid-week e-mails have higher open rates. Do some online research of your own on sites like emailstatcenter.com to learn how you can make your next e-mail campaign more effective.

Social Networks
Your prospects and customers are hanging out online somewhere—do you know where they are? Do some online sleuthing to locate user groups that have an interest in issues and topics that pertain to your business and then find a way to engage them. Check out MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and business-oriented networking sites like LinkedIn and Biznik to see what tools are available and how other businesses are capitalizing on influential social networks to advance their businesses. Digital-savvy entrepreneurs and managers are finding that things like tips, videos, product announcements, surveys and special offers are effective at driving traffic to their websites and forging valuable connections with ideal prospects.

Blogs
Weblogs, one of the most powerful and influential e-media tools today, provides millions access to your published content, ideas and expertise. While they appeal to your loyal readers and customers, their value is immeasurable when it comes to search engines and driving quality traffic to your site. Check out Wordpress.com or Blogger.com for tools to get you started and tips for becoming a great blogger. Be sure to register your blog with top blog search engines for maximum impact and visibility.

Podcasts
Give your blog a voice with your very own program through a Podcast. The opportunities to connect with prospects and customers through downloadable audio and video files is almost limitless with the proliferation of MP3 players, computers and mobile devices. No longer reserved for entertainment, Podcasts represent the next generation of communications and marketing tools for progressive business owners and managers. Ideas for downloadable files that can help you grow your business include new product announcements, frequently asked questions, latest industry news, tips and strategies for using products and services, testimonials and special offers. Be sure to familiarize yourself with RSS feeds, podcatchers and blogs and check out HipCast.com or Pittsburgh’s own TalkShoe for tools and hosting options.
Website Optimization

If you build it, they will come might work for fictional baseball fields, but it doesn’t work for websites. Smart web designers and copywriters know that creating a site built with search engine savvy is critical to attracting quality traffic. Research shows that 68 percent of online users do not venture past page one of search listings, so what are the strategies to get your site onto this valuable piece of electronic real estate? First, identify keywords that are best for your business and use them strategically throughout your site. You can use Google AdWords or wordtracker.com to help you identify key words that will help your search engine rankings. Other search-friendly practices include building inbound and outbound links, keyword density, sitemaps and meta tags.

For tips on using eMarketing and other business technologies to grow your business and lower operational costs, attend the 3rd annual Pennsylvania Business Technology Conference on November 13, 2008, in Pittsburgh, designed to help businesses and managers utilize innovations and digital practices for productivity, performance and profitability.
The event features 12 expert-led workshops, demonstrations, a Technology Showcase, and a keynote address by Nina Kaufman on Online Sales: How to Create Hot Sales In a Lukewarm Market.

For details, visit www.conference.duq.edu.

Monday Morning Marketteer, Don't Be a Slave to E-mail

You can listen to the live version of this blog by clicking the title link or at:
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/33960, original show: October 20, 2008

Chains of E-Mail: Slave No More


Do you ever feel like a slave to your e-mail, well with four blogs of my own, two social networking sites that I manage, two that I participate in, five Talkcasts, an on line community magazine, a business, mentoring and two board positions, sometimes I will be honest with you. I do! Also that does not count the 900 e-mails in my family in box that are always there and the newsletters that I subscribe to and Google alerts that keep me on the cutting edge which I try to keep in a separate account for when I need inspiration. Oh my……help!
With 5 Talkcasts and 5 blogs, 2 social media sites that I run, 3 that I contribute to, an on line multi media community magazine, two non-profit boards and a marketing company you can imagine that I get a lot of e-mail.
And that does not count all the funny jokes, and stories, and political pundits that I am missing out on from my family and friends. Yes I was guilty of sending them too and forwarding them and now that luxury is rare. There was a time when I overwhelmed my “positive friends list” with inspirational items, few jokes but many inspirational items. Alas those days are gone.
My mother used to say when I complained about housework, that it never got done. Well e-mail never gets done either.

Anyone feeling my pain?
As busy people take on more clients and customers, it does not get easier and the volume does not slow. ,
Solutions from well intentioned friends: A Blackberry! Right so I can spend my down-time to check my e-mail. Hello! I already use drive time and traffic time to return phone calls, sorry if you are reading this in a state where it’s illegal.
This is a part of my life that is seriously out of control and gives me no end of stress, worried that something that I really must attend to is in my in-box.
Some suggestions that I have adopted:
Instead of leaving things in my inbox until I get to it, I have adopted the same rule as I do for papers. Touch it, in this case read it once. Either I get it done or move it to my task list in my Act program. You can put it where you like, I personally like Act.

Now just in case I need to refer back for information from my task list I put this in a folder appropriately marked. For example: NAWBO, PTA, a file for each of my clients, one for each of my internet radio shows, etc This way I know the e-mails in my in box are either new mail or things I am working on right now. If the email coming in creates a task that I can do in less than 5 minutes I just do it and get it done, if not then I plan when I can do the task, ergo, the to do list and assign a time.
What does controlling your e-mail have to do with marketing?
Loads!
1. Never use "A" time (selling time) to read your e-mail. I tell clients and associates if it is urgent call me, otherwise I will answer your request within 24 hours, 48 if I am slammed with all day appointments.
2. If your mind is clear of all of that e-mail that you “just have to answer,” you will be able to concentrate on the task at hand.
3. Can’t live without your newsletters from friends and associates? Try setting up a separate e-mail account for things that are less pressing like your inspirational ideas or great marketing e-mails.
4. If it’s an event you are worried about missing, put it on your calendar and then file the e-mail under events so that you will have it in case you missed a detail before it comes up.
5. Liberate your mind by organizing your e-mails into folders that you can refer to later, you will be amazed at how much marketing and selling you will be able to get done when you unclutter your inbox.
6. Unread e-mail is a stressor; take a week-end, clear it out. If you are not caught up on Joel Olsteen’s messages or Today’s Inspiration, just take a week-end and clear it out. Joel or the Inspirer will probably send a similar message; even they only have so much inspiration to go around.
7. Feeling guilty about deleting Uncle Jerry’s or Cousin Lacretia’s jokes, put them in a folder for when you have some time and you need a laugh.

This blog post can be reproduced in its entirety with the following information: © Joanne Quinn-Smith, Monday Morning Marketeer 412-628-5048
Listen at: http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/33960 or
www.positivelypittsburghlivemagazine.com on the Monday Morning Marketeer Channel.
Blog: www.marketingmondaymorning.blogspot.com

Monday Morning Marketeer Hosting Social Media Entrepreneur Panel, Entrepreneurial Thursday

Firewater's Grill, 412.323.4688

LIVE RHYTHM, JAZZ & BLUES
Musical Networking Happy Hour
EVERY THURSDAY!!!
5:30 PM - 8 PM
Firewater's Grill,
120 Federal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Across from PNC Park

Hosted by Jazz/R&B Vocalist - Jessica Lee

Cover Charge: Only $10.00!
Hors d'oeuvres included

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The "ENTREPRENEURIAL THURSDAYS" Happy Hour Show
Live Music by City's Great Jazz/R&B Artists!
Interviews @ Musical Break with City's Leading Entrepreneurs/Innovators!
Great Business & Professional Networking!
November 6, 2008
"Social media Entrepreneurs"

Featuring Interviews with:
Joanne Quinn-Smith, CEO - Dreamweaver Marketing Associates & Publisher - Positively Pittsburgh Live Magazine (www.positivelypittsburghlivemagazine.com)
Bill Weil, LovePong International, LLC
(www.LovePong.com)
Jill Kummer, President - Blacktie-Pittsburgh
(www.blacktie-pittsburgh.com)
Donna Baxter, Founder & Web Mistress - The Soul Pitt (www.thesoulpitt.com)
Dave Nelson, Founder and CEO - TalkShoe (www.talkshoe.com)

www.jessicaleesong.com
"Entrepreneurial Thursdays" Partners
Gold Sponsors
Pittsburgh Gateways
ABG Capital

Marketing PartnersMarketing Partners

AFTRA
BarSmart
BIOSAFE, Inc.
Chrysler Corp. (SBDC) Duquesne University
Eagle Ventures Inc.
George Mendel Photography
HDJ Assoc., Inc.
Help Startups
Human Connections
Latin American Cultural Union
MAKK Strategies
MIT Enterprise Forum
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Pittsburgh Technology Council
Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP)
Pittsburgh Young Professionals
Positively Pittsburgh Live
Sales Star Enterprise
Seton Hill University's E-Magnify®
Sigma Pi Consulting
STAAR Funds
Technical Products & Supply
TiePGH-Pittsburgh Chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs
Vistage
Women's Independent Press

Imitate Your Competitiors with a Niche Twist

Let’s talk about how you can explode your business with new profit that won’t cost you anything because you are going to copycat what your successful competitors are doing. Only you will have a niche with a twist. As I said in the description for this version of Monday Morning Marketeer, plagiarism is illegal, however, imitation is the best form of flatter.
You could add a whole list of truism here: If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, why re-invent the wheel and if she can do it, I can do it.



A rather well known author once said that there is nothing new to write about under the sun, just a different way to write about it.
I have been in various businesses since 1976 and some of them extremely successful. Mostly I attribute this ability to continually re-invent myself in various businesses to my ability to think outside the box, do things that others won’t do so that I can have what others don’t have, extend myself always to others because what I teach I manage to perfect but also my ability to be somewhat of a chameleon. I have always managed to assimilate things that others are doing but yet make them my own. Some call this unabashed copycatting but I call it a niche twist.

And where do I get these niche twist ideas to start with? I am constantly observing the habits of other successful business owners. They are not always competitors but they always have some synergy to what my business is. I subscribe to countless newsletters and I at least try to scan all of them, even the long sales letter, infomercial type stuff. As a matter of fact, that’s probably where I got the idea for the information I am sharing with you right now.

As a marketeer I subscribe to advertising, marketing, information technology, sales and self-enhancement news letters always with the goal of every day getting better and better in every way. These are just a few, often I subscribe to financial letters and public opinion newsletters, internet marketing, blogger news, just to name a few.

This is how I discover who is successful, how they are doing it, what trends are out there and I am also able to establish my own perfect customer persona. This is also how I find new applications and figure out a way to niche twist what others are doing to suit my circumstances. As I have said before plagiarism is illegal but an adaptation of new technologies or applications or updating old ones to create a new spin on a new or old idea is perfectly acceptable.

With my technology show I am constantly looking for new technology that I can use to market my products and services. When social proof video hit the marketplace and podcasts became the rage for techies and kids, I found a way to utilize that technology. I now have five Talkcasts thanks to a friend who decided to do an organization show on Talkshoe. She no longer does it, but I am approaching 5,000 downloadable listeners that I can track.
Could I have done an organization show, heck no? But I could talk about Positive things in Pittsburgh and get guests to talk about them.
Most of my news for Positively Pittsburgh Live Talk Cast is culled from e-mails sent to me by lists that I subscribe to.

I find my technology guests pretty much in the same way from the networking and social networking groups that I frequent.

I also get Google alerts on things I am interested in and many times pick up good ideas there.
When clients ask me to look at their web design often my research for them teaches me things that I can niche twist for them or me. I am always on the look out for new graphic ideas, fonts, lay outs and what is the first thing that I see on a successful website. How can I adapt this for myself or my clients?
Also what are they doing badly that I could improve upon?
Is there something that stands out and attracts then I figure out a way to incorporate that into one of my projects, again by adaptation not copycatting or exact imitation, do you thing others are not copying you? Come out from under your rock.

A few years ago I heard the owner of Red Hot Copy talk about a swipe file of really appealing copy or advertisement. I do the same thing. I tear out pages in magazines and create files on great items that I find on the internet, so when I run out of ideas I can go to my magazine or my internet swipe files. All successful marketers do that.

I also have a box of neat things that I get in goodie bags at conferences so when I am looking for an ad specialty for a client or myself I am not constantly trying to come up with something unique, I just niche twist what I have already found.

I also watch other people’s offers to get ideas of what they are discounting, extra services that they are providing, what they are giving away for free. I learned long ago as a child to observe people. I was very shy and so I would sit and watch and make up stories in my mind of who they were and what they did. Sometimes if you will be like a child exploring things with that absolute sense of wonder you will find some great things to copycat or imitate. Observing others success is a great way to increase your bottom line without spending money, and then niche twist it. Find out how you can use similar tactics without exact copycatting and niche twist it for your particular business.

Your calls to action today:
1. Do not assume that a less successful business has nothing to teach you, they may be really good at one thing that you are not. Find it, modify it, and turn it into success for yourself.
2. Dale Carnegie said, "How do you learn how to be a millionaire — ask a millionaire!" Find out what successful businesses are doing and how they are doing it and niche twist it for your own success.
3. Don’t discard those long sales letters, scan them for one good idea you can use.
4. Remember there is nothing new under the sun, except that you find a new application, a new niche, a new turn of technology, that’s where great ideas come from and ideas are usually free.
5. Expect that if you have a great idea someone will copy it. So why aren’t you doing the same but making it uniquely your own?


This blog post can be reproduced in its entirety with the following information: © Joanne Quinn-Smith, Monday Morning Marketeer 412-628-5048
Listen at: http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/33960 or
www.positivelypittsburghlivemagazine.com on the Monday Morning Marketeer Channel.
Blog: www.marketingmondaymorning.blogspot.com

Networking and Leadership Info: We-Do Conference, Pittsburgh

Want to continue to market your business in tough times. Ladies get out and network at this one.

WE-DO Leadership Conference
Womens Economic Development Outreach
Creating Connections, Building Business

Local Leadership Invitation for
Business Women in Allegheny and
Beaver Counties



Business Women! You Don't Want To Miss The 2008 WE-DO Conference being held this year at Robert Morris University's Moon Campus on Tuesday, October 21st! Along with a Fantastic National Program, We'll have These Inspiring Local Leaders:


The 2008 Local Pittsburgh WEDO Tour is pleased to present this years conference:

BreakThrough!

Impact through Innovation:

Your Competitive Advantage

The only event of its kind for women executives and entrepreuners the WEDO Tour is a resource rich program that will energize your business. ; It's packed with invaluable business advice from nationally acclaimed business women and our own local experts in business leadership. Shaped by Women's Business Advocates, women executives and entrepreneurs, along with organizations representing women business owners the WEDO Tour is your most relevant resource.

Attend this years workshop and gain key insights that will help you:

Introduce an innovation framework that sets realistic goals, leverages cumulative gains and carefully accommodates experimentation.
Create an innovation toolbox that accelerates new product and service developments in an ever-changing business environment.
Snych up company culture and customer demands with a holistic approach to nurturing employee's creativity, responding to new opportunities, and channeling the voice of the customer.

Surround Yourself with Pittsburgh's Smart and Savvy Women Leaders as they connect with Business Women across the Nation by Video Conference.

Enjoy the local panel of Pittsburgh Area Leaders who will help you gain your competitive advantage with Leadership and Innovation!


National City WEDO Tour 2008 for Allegheny & Beaver Counties:
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Robert Morris University
Sewall Center Executive Conference Center, Moon Township, PA 15108

Agenda: 9:00am to 3:00pm

Keynote Presenter:


Maria Berdusco
Author, Leadership Consultant & Executive Coach

Kathy Buechel
President, Alcoa Foundation

Oditza Carrasco
President, American Bank FSB


Kristie Guthrie
Professional Counselor Hope Counseling Services

Deanna Tucci-Schmitt
Owner BNI Western PA

2008 WEDO Allegheny & Beaver Counties Local Committee:

Beth Caldwell
Pttsburgh Professional Women

Ann Callen
National City

Jenn Carr
Credit Justice Services

Lindsay Cost
National City

Christian DeSarbo
National City

Barbara Fisher U.S. Small Business Administration

Suzanne Froehlich Froehlich & Associates Insurance

Sarelle Gross
National City
Donna Herrle Drawing Conclusions
Daniel Hooper
National City
&nbs p;
Kristi Hosko
ADP

Tamara Howard
National City

Betty Karleski Home Instead Senior Care

Michele Mook
National City

Janette Schafer
National City

Jill Yahnite
Zoltun Design

10:00 Satellite Video Conference

11:30 Lunch & Leadership Presentation, Maria Berdusco

Author: How To Think Like A Leader
12:30 Breakout Sessions: Small Group Round Table Discussions with Local Leaders

3:00 Door Prize Drawings And Adjourn

Register at: WE-DO.net