Build Your Business by Building Relationships

Written by Charlotte Farrior


Continued from page 1

Tracking System

Consistency in building relationships will be difficult to maintain without a method to capture and maintain contact information in a practical way. This means being accessible and easily updated for changes. Contact software such as ACT, Goldmine, and Outlook were created for this purpose. Other options include business card files, Rolodex, Palm Pilots, and planner systems such as Day-timer or Franklin. Chooserepparttar system that fits your work style and schedule time for communication with your contacts and maintenance ofrepparttar 120128 database. This nut and bolts step is an important part of building relationships over time.

Plant a Seed

Think of building relationships inrepparttar 120129 same way as planting seeds. In order forrepparttar 120130 seeds to grow, they need water, food, and sunlight over time. For relationships to grow, you provide opportunities for your network to get to know you, what you provide, and ultimately trust you with their business.

***********Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com. Solo-E.com isrepparttar 120131 coolest place onrepparttar 120132 Web for Solo Entrepreneurs who want affordable, easily accessible and juicy information to create a successful business and life. ***********

Charlotte Farrior is a coach who works with people willing to invest in themselves. Her specialty is supporting those who believe in possibilities and are willing to create an amazing future. Learn more about Charlotte at http://www.corporatecoaching101.com.


The Anatomy of Hype

Written by Marcia Yudkin


Continued from page 1

Assuming their numbers are valid, this argument does have a point, but one of limited relevance to many situations. Hype may sell, but it may also undercut other business goals, in these ways:

Reputation. In whose eyes do you want credibility? Use this tone and you can expect snickering rather than respect from established journalists, academics, Fortune 500 companies, most people with postgraduate degrees and colleagues who use any of those groups as their benchmark of respectability.

Partnerships and opportunities. If you're aiming at joint ventures with banks, universities, community organizations, trade associations andrepparttar like, hype counts very heavily against you. You may also endanger your chances of getting a contract from a major publisher if that's among your goals.

Trust. Are you aiming at a one-time sale or a long-term customer? Hype works better inrepparttar 120127 former situation, especially where a buyer believes they can obtain a refund ifrepparttar 120128 purchase doesn't live up torepparttar 120129 promises.

Staying out of legal trouble. Some ofrepparttar 120130 techniques listed above either flirt with deception or crossrepparttar 120131 line to lies. The other day I read through a Federal Trade Commission judgment against an Internet marketer for deceptive marketing and believe me, this is wrath you do not want to bring down upon yourself! Make sure you have a nitpicky lawyer to vet your copy if you favor a hyped style.

Please note that it's possible to use a hard-hitting, dramatic direct marketing style with descriptive bullet points, calls to action and so on in connection with entirely truthful and completely respectable copy.

Hype does sell. But that's far from settlingrepparttar 120132 issue of whether or not you should use it.

Marcia Yudkin (marcia@yudkin.com) is the author of 6 Steps to Free Publicity, Persuading on Paper, Web Site Marketing Makeover and other books on business communication. She mentors business owners through www.MarketingForMore.com and mentors organizational marketing managers through www.MentorForMarketing.com. Sign up for her free weekly newsletter on creative marketing at www.yudkin.com/marksynd.htm .


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use