You’re loving your followers on Twitter…

You’re building friends on your Facebook fan page…

You’re working your Linked In groups…

You’re visiting relevant niche focused influencers’ blogs and commenting with keyword rich verbiage that links back to a specific page to continue the conversation…

You have an opt-in on your website and you’re building a database list for backend promotion…

You’ve monetized your expert subject matter information into downloadable digital products…

Your authority building promotional articles are being published to other people’s blogs monthly…

You are publishing your own reputation building blog daily….

You’re seeing increases in your conversions and sales (list building and revenue results) and you even got a write up in a national online magazine…

To say you are an online marketing goddess doesn’t even come close! Life online is GOOD!

Oh, wait – excuse me…am I not describing you?

Oh, how embarrassing…um, maybe to keep all that happening (or get it happening if it’s not), you could create an online communication schedule. You won’t always necessarily follow it, but it’ll be a guide for you in creating your goddess quality online content.

Here are some tips on how to do it:

Pick 50 keywords to focus on

Start with just 10 if you wish, but choose ones that describe your services/product, your values and character, your clients’ needs, your niche or industry, and your unique value and focus in the marketplace. You’ll be concentrating on these words in your blog posts, your social media blurbs, your headlines, your entire marketing funnel. If the words are the ones your niche uses to find stuff on Google, then you’re going in the right direction.

For me, as an example – I would use marketing, online, women entrepreneurs, social media, philanthropy, pro bono, internet marketing, Austin, TX, business, beginning entrepreneurs, global, literacy, sharing, empowerment…you get the picture.

Decide your publishing timeline

I’d suggest daily or at least 3 times per week for your blogging, at least once daily for all of your social media homes (probably more on Twitter), at least once a week for commenting on other people’s blogs or forums, and at least monthly for new promotional articles.

If you aren’t able to do this on the fly real time day to day, create a bunch of material at one time when you’re feeling uber creative and schedule it out to launch automatically. If you are “too busy”, hire someone to help you, either a ghostwriter, a VA, or an intern – heck, go for the gold and do all three! Just commit to no excuses on this. If your clients can’t find you and if what they find isn’t compelling, you won’t be in business to be busy for very long any way. No excuses!

Keep going!

Even if you fall off schedule, keep going. Bootstrap online promotion techniques work really well, but frequency matters and regularly updating your content will make the Google spiders visit you more often. You deserve visibility and you can go from the world’s best kept secret to a promotional diva in a relatively short time if you show up and keep at it. The world needs you – please let us have you!

Still stuck? Try listening to this free, no opt-in preview call I did on how to turn 10 hrs of time into one month of online content. It will get your creativity going: Click here to listen to The Efficient Entrepreneur preview call

Final note: If I am coming off a bit harsh, please forgive me. It’s just that every day I see so many amazing, fantastic women with so much to share who are hiding from success. I have to swallow my own medicine too – none of us are immune from letting the urgent get in the way of the important, so I will crawl down off my soapbox now and go write a promotional article. *wink*

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, CEO SmartWoman Guides

Pro bono work is a great way to build your skills, increase your business visibility, and give back to your community.

Here are some guidelines that might help:

• Keep Your Intentions Pure

Don’t take a pro bono job if you are only motivated by personal gain or reputation building or the connections you will make. Most organizations that need your help are very sincere about their mission. If you don’t believe in what they do, refer someone else to them and then find something else to do that does align with your values.

• Don’t Commit Unless You Have the Time To Do It and Will Follow Through
  

Follow the same rules of under commit, over deliver that you do in your paid business transactions.  It’s easy to get wrapped up in the deep needs of these worthwhile organizations that you want to help more than you actually have time to do. Be careful with this, because once you make a commitment, they will be counting on you. It’s better to take on a small project, see how it fits into your lifestyle and other business demands, and then do more once you see how the first project goes.

• Remember That What You Do Every Day Easily Isn’t Easy For Other People

Lots of things we do day to day are second nature to us. We’ve programmed websites for years, we understand how to ask for funding, we manage projects like they’re an easy shopping list. Just because something is easy for us doesn’t mean it doesn’t have high value. Even something as seemingly simple (to you) as setting up social media profiles might sound like utter Greek to someone else who’s never done it. Just remember that acting like “any idiot could do it” will cast ill feelings on those who need your help. They don’t want or need to be made to feel stupid. Share your skills, the things you’re good at, and do it with a loving and compassionate heart. The things you do every day, which might seem like nothing to you, could be just the thing that propels a social organization to the next level.

• Honor Confidentiality (and Get Permission For Any Sharing)

If you want to share with your client base that you are donating your time – something that can be life and relationship building – confirm that the organization you’re helping is OK with that. Depending upon the group, you might have to remain quiet for the health and safety of who they help. In this case, get a letter of recommendation that you can perhaps share less publicly with potential clients during consult or get a commitment from your contact that you can share their info for a reference. Be on the safe side and ask first.

• Don’t Pro Bono Because You’re Afraid to Ask To Be Paid

Many organizations have budget to hire a professional. If you see a group you want to help, create a proper proposal to be hired and present it. If that doesn’t happen, then you can always offer pro bono. Sometimes we get shy or nervous about asking for what we’re worth. We know what the organization does is great and we really believe in it so we think we’re doing them a favor to volunteer. But too often, we get peeved when someone else comes along with the courage to ask to get paid and gets the job. Just because an organization is non-profit does not mean they only work with volunteers. If you aren’t sure, go back  to tip #1. If your intentions are pure, you will know the right thing to do.

Thank you for being the kind of person who does pro bono work. Enjoy your time!

Vicki Flaugher, CEO
SmartWomanGuides.com

If you listen to much of advertising, email marketing, and such (all things I completely believe in as effective marketing tools), you might notice that the underlying assumptions include scarcity, violence, competition, and fear. If you don’t “act now” you’ll lose – limited time offers, only an idiot would do nothing, if you don’t do this you will be beaten, use this software to annihilate your competition, install this plug in to keep you “safe”, etc. Many put countdown clocks and send emails with screaming ALL CAPS subject lines with urgent pleas for your money since your very existence as a entrepreneur is in peril. Hurry!! You’re in danger! Buy now or ELSE!

I find it all a bit tiring. If you ask these marketers why they do it, they inevitably say either “it works” or “it’s how it’s done.” Is that really a good enough reason? Can’t we move into this new decade with innovative tools and new approaches? Can we learn to sell without fear? What do you think?

I am doing all I can to find my own tendencies to include a scarcity and fear mentality in my approach and I’m tossing it. Want to join me? We could start a movement…

For those of you who don’t know, Twitter is a social media community where you engage with people in 140 characters per “tweet”. It’s a great way to make friends, promote yourself, and build a brand. Yes, I use Twitter to promote myself. There is nothing wrong with that. I’m not one to say there is. But here are some things to avoid so you can take full advantage of the power of Twitter without seeming like a tool.

1.  No avatar picture or a clip art avatar, especially one unrelated to what you do

Having a bikini babe to catch attention is cool if you’re selling bikinis or if you are a model and it’s a picture of you. It’s not that cool just to catch attention for your latest MLM scheme. I don’t care if Donald Trump told you to do it, you’re fired! And, don’t you be flashing your newly bright and white teeth at me in defiance either. Real people are sick of this crap. Real people are the ones with credit cards, ok?

Even worse is the default avatar. Take the time to upload a picture because I will assume that the time you spend on your profile is the level of attention you’ll give me as a customer. Same goes for your full profile detail, including a legit website URL. Slacker = fail.

2.  All pitch and no personality

If you follow me, I go to see if I want to follow you back–I check out your tweet stream to see what you’re about. Call me old fashioned but that’s what I do. If all you ever do is promote your MLM, CPA offers, Forex, Twitter tools to get me more followers ( PLEASE have more followers than I do if you send me that in a auto DM, ok?) or XXX rated adult sites, then I will block you. I already trade index option spreads, have an account myself with Hydra Network, have plenty of great followers, and I feel secret jealousy about your porn site because I’m too old and overweight to be a webcam girl. You’d know that if you’d bothered to check my profile out first. Haven’t you seen my tweets making fun of you?

If you mention GDI, teeth whitening, making money fast with no effort, or all you ever do is retweet what you find on Mashable, you aren’t going to be fun to listen to. I love to see lots of @ replies, conversations with your followers, courteous and relatively low % sprinkling of self-promotion, and lots of great resource links and comments – quotes are ok, but I’d rather know what you say, not so much what Gandhi says. We’ve all heard that – I want to know the unique you.  Cool adds are telling me about another person on Twitter who gives great info. You gain my respect and affection (and I’ll be more likely to recommend you to someone else too) if you share the power and glory. It shows me a character trait I like.

For the record – @ replies or retweets where you list my ID and tack on your affiliate link, making it look like I either asked you for that info or am endorsing it, is a total loser technique. It’s an abuse of my influence and abuse of my friends, so cut it out. BLOCK, BLOCK, BLOCK (and on this one, I report you as a spammer too). Yeah, I admit – I have some strong feelings here…

3.  Being impersonal (if you ghost, be good at it)

If you have a snazzy spam name like MakeMoneyNow (made up – I don’t know if this is real) at least put a real person’s name in the name field. Yes, you can have a different name in your profile than you do your Twitter ID name. I do – I am @SmartWoman and my name is Vicki Flaugher. Especially if you took a class showing you how to monetize your Twitter stream, please be creative in your automation. Mix it up so at least you’re different than other people.

If you ghost, be good at it. If you are making up a persona (something I find intriguing if you do it right – look at the dogs who tweet, or the TV characters from Mad Men as an example), then be great! Act like a real person would in conversation – make jokes, share information, talk to your friends, tell us about what you’re up to, and quit using social media like a two-bit escort. Just because something makes money doesn’t mean it’s a good thing to do. Okay, what I really mean to say is do what you want, but don’t expect me to like it. And, I’m not alone in this and I actually buy lots of things online. I am your customer – please do not treat me like a moron that can’t hear the 50th time this hour of you telling me how great your product is. Where is the seduction, intrigue, respect? No where when you act that way!

Making money online is super fun and I follow fake people if they entertain me. Constantly pitching your amazing product isn’t entertaining. Don’t you see how the logic goes? If your product is really so great, would you have to pitch it incessantly? Of course not – you’d be building a list, working your backend sales funnel, providing strong value, and creating lifetime customers instead.

I am a marketer. I market online. I love it, too and am not ashamed of the way I conduct my business. I use online tools for my own revenue. I consult with my clients about social media, blogging, article marketing, affiliate programs, CPA offers, info product development, PPC traffic generation, and email auto-responders.

If you don’t know what any of those things that I just listed are and actually want to integrate them with authenticity and integrity into your business, give me a call. When you call, I promise I won’t offer you teeth whitening from a single Mom in Hollywood (my favorite pet peeve), a one time limited offer with lots of CAPS and !!! points in the sales copy, nor any emails that use RE: in the subject line when you’ve never sent me an email that I could possibly be responding back to. Using the internet as a tool doesn’t make you a tool. The behaviors you exhibit are what do that. And, believe me, there are plenty of tools out there already – you don’t need to be one.  Don’t act like a spammer on Twitter. There I said it!

But, done right, an honest “I don’t know” can be one of the most powerful entrepreneur tools available.

By getting in touch with the place inside of you that holds no judgment, or decisions, or prejudice, you can experience a world of creativity and insight that isn’t available to know-it-alls. By being willing to be vulnerable enough to ask a question instead of always being the one to answer it, you can open yourself up to new possibilities, innovative ideas, and – dare I say it – out of the box thinking.

The key to experiencing the power of a true “I don’t know” moment is rather straightforward – you have to be willing. And, you might have to practice a bit. So, to help you practice accessing that perfect intersection of creativity and inspiration, here are some tips:

Embrace the Value of Mistakes

Most people don’t like making mistakes, but they seem to have no problem forging ahead with their ideas and doing whatever might seem right instead of admitting they don’t know. They are more afraid of being embarrassed about seeming ignorant than they are about going right ahead and proving in action that they are!

If you make peace with mistakes and instead see them as the natural process of learning lessons, the pressure to seem like you know something instead of sitting with “I don’t know” for a bit will ease up. Once you can get past the automatic impulse to “do something” (even if it’s not the right something), the closer you will be to discovering the actual right something to do.

Make Asking Your Mode of Operation

Again, asking another to help you can perhaps feel demeaning, or seem unprofessional, or maybe – heaven forbid – reduce your credibility. But, really, the most successful people in the world, in business and in life, all ask questions much more of the time than they do nearly anything else.

Think of the added benefits of asking from a marketing point of view – it shows that you care about others, it shows you are more focused on them instead of yourself, it allows you to have up to date market data, and it helps you communicate that you are approachable. Even if you don’t want to ask a real, in the flesh person, at least have an open enough mind to entertain others’ opinions from books and training materials. Two heads ARE better than one.

Accept that Vulnerability is Attractive

How many people flock to help a person who knows everything? Nearly no one! People help others that need help. You can pretend you know everything, build a persona of invincibility, and you can have coffee by yourself. Or, if you’re willing to accept that vulnerability is attractive, you can easily draw in others who have much to offer you. Asking questions (and sincerely listening to the answers) can be a tool you use to allow others the saving face to come in and offer their help.

It’s nice to fantasize about being a well-respected guru who has people traveling from all over the world to seek their counsel, and maybe some day you will be that. But even the most famous of spiritual leaders, enlightened political figures, and a host of wealthy, famous people often greet those travelers with a question – NOT an answer.

We can all learn something from others around us, both the known and the lesser known genius minds among us, as well as the ones living now and throughout history. But, lessons don’t get learned if we aren’t already in a state of “I don’t know”, so get there are fast as you can!

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

follow me on Twitter: SmartWoman

For those of you who are actually introverted, I am not pushing you to change your basic personality. I am classified, per all the psychological personality tests I’ve taken, a gregarious introvert. I know it sounds like a oxymoron, but it’s how I feel. I am able to interact fairly easily with someone once I get to know them, but I get energized being in small groups or by myself. Large crowds don’t work as well for me. I enjoy solitude and quiet time. I am a recovering recluse, too, but that’s a different story. What I mean to emphasize is that being an introvert is not a disease or a mistake. If it’s how you are, fine. Feeling shy or introverted is ok.

But, if you are actually not shy but are playing shy and hiding because of a lack of perspective and self-confidence, I am begging you to stop it today, because, contrary to some social programming, hiding isn’t noble. False humility is not honorable, hiding your gifts does not make you more pure, and pretending that people should simply read your mind and know how fabulous you are is a losing business proposition.

Harsh words, I know. I’m sorry if they pinch. But, let’s come to terms with the difference between arrogance and confidence. You don’t have to go out into the market place and hype yourself all up, making inflated promises, hawking your wares like circus goods. You do have to state, with an aware sense of service, what benefits you provide and how your unique expertise can help your clients.

Yes, there is a fine line between being enthusiastic about what you do and how you do it and pushing too hard with empty promises. That’s the key – the word empty.  If you can actually do what you claim to do, it’s not empty. It’s not dishonest so you don’t have to approach it like it’s dirty. The thing to remember is that the more people who know about you, the more your message gets proliferated, the more people you can help. It’s not a popularity contest but rather an opportunity to serve more, to do more good. Good PR is not about satisfying your ego – it’s about reaching people who need you.

How can you help create better PR if you are not yet comfortable with being in the spotlight? Here are some tips:

1.  Ask for testimonials from your clients and other professionals.

Let others speak the words that you feel are too egotistical to say yourself. It’s a great way to be in touch with your previous clients, maybe get some referrals, but also to let someone else toot the horn for you. Ask for feedback on your service, your expertise, your creative problem solving, your pricing, your unique offerings. It might surprise you just how powerful reading that feedback will be for you. It’s touching to know that you affect people’s lives and it’s a very effective marketing technique to use on your website, in your newsletter, in your promotional materials.

2.  Hire a copywriter.

The best marketing includes keywords, benefits, to the point copy, plus graphical emphasis like bullet points and short, direct sentences. Instead of being hindered by a lack of confidence, a hired gun will have a 3rd person, more objective viewpoint to start with. Most copywriters will work to pull out of you everything they can use to featue you in the best light. Let them. Find someone who understands your vision and where you want to go in your business and let them work their magic with words.

3.  Practice.

Sending out press releases or developing a strong introduction ditty (your “elevator speech”) can be a challenge, but it does get easier with practice. Devote some time to learn about promotional strategies, ask your social media network for advice, read some books. For PR opportunities, visit HARO to start offering yourself up as an expert to media. The media is hungry for new points of view and have a 24/7 news cycle to fulfill. Develop a decent PR release using this Press Release Builder template, and just do it. The funny itchy feeling will go away and you will get more business.

Please know that I have every confidence that you deserve to be recogized for your greatness. Hiding just isn’t the answer, so reach out, speak out, and let your light shine! Today, ok?

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

follow me on Twitter: SmartWoman

Some items have a deadline to participate, but most do not.

To go to each website, just click on the beginning link of each listing.

• Blake’s 51 Birthday Gifts: I have had so much fun with this one! All free stuff and a wide variety of fun and incredibly useful things. Seriously great. I am still enjoying the presents he sent.
• Rebuild Your Virtual Business: Free teleseminar coming up on Jan 7th, free no-opt in Internet Myth Busting report, and more! I love these two women – great advice!
• The Attraction Diva: Free ebooks on how to attract more wealth and success into your life from Jen Blackert.
• Create Your Own Reality: 3 mp3 audios to assist you in creating more money, success, and love in your life by Nan Akash.
• KaNani Self-Care Products: Free 15 minute meditation audio to renew your spirit (just click on the link to the right hand side of the page), plus listing of several other of her favorite advisors who also offer interesting free gifts.
• The Art of Seeing the Divine: Transformational booklet to help you move from stuck to success.
• 10 Action Steps to Take: 5 page report the help you market your business with practical how-to steps for blogging, participating in forums, and finally taking action. (go to the opt-in box on the upper right corner to get her report)
• Deborah Dunn, licensed relationship therapist: Sign up for Deborah’s newsletter and post a comment on her blog and receive a free 20 min.phone consult with her. (expires Midnight 12/31/08)
• DotComSecrets Zero to $100 Million Contest: Free training and a charity drive, with the opportunity to win a Corvette and help kids in third world countries.

Here are some goodies I’ve offered on SmartWomanGuides.com before, but just in case you missed them, I wanted to highlight what is already available to you.

• Eldon Taylon Choices and Illusion Bonus Offer: Book launch bonus offer that I participated in. There is a bonus gift for you, just for clicking on the link and reading his inspiring special offer.
• “Building a Business Not a Blog” e-Book: I adore John Cow and he gives very straightforward information here in the 140 pg offering. I use it and I love it.
  
• Your Internet Cash Machine Sampler: Written by Jillian Coleman Wheeler and Joe Vitale (excerpt created by me), this 50 page e-Book takes out select juicy parts of their book on online marketing so you can learn and grow your own business from it.

I intend to continue adding free resources here, so bookmark this page as your favorite and please return frequently. I promise it will only grow and be even better every week!

Happy New Year to all of you and best of success in 2009!

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

follow me on Twitter: SmartWoman

Victoria generously visited with me for about an hour to have a kitchen table chat. As we both make ourselves lunch, we chatted about how we met on Twitter, why we made the choice of working for ourselves, and a few other day to day niceties. She has a delightful personality that makes it easy to understand why she is so successful at facilitating agreements in her work.

Our conversation moved into Victoria’s career choices and how they have affected her life. Victoria shared with me the challenges of working in a male dominated field and how those experiences helped to shape her choices. She also candidly revealed the wear and tear that always working toward a win at all costs rather than a negotiated settlement had on her, which is one of the primary reasons she shifted from being a litigator to a negotiation specialist.

After this initial warm up conversation between the two of us, it was time to turn on the recorder and cover the topic at hand – negotiation.

We covered the different styles of negotiation, distributive and interest-based, and the characteristic behaviors of each. She also shared how moving to interest-based negotiation enhances women’s ability to win negotiations and how we can use our inherent tendencies to succeed.

We talked about how all women can negotiate better to not only enhance relationships but also get what we truly desire. She shares her insights into the reasons why women might not choose to negotiate, how to do it better, and when not to do it.

Life is about choices and we are negotiating on many levels for many things every day. If it’s presenting our business plan to an investor, closing sales, getting our child dressed for school, or asking our husband to take out the trash, we are negotiating. Victoria talks about how we can use our innate nurturing natures as women to make better choices, even in a world of dog eat dog competition. By asking questions, by being empathetic, by doing our homework before a negotiation, by understanding that in fact we are in a negotiation, we can live better lives. We can make the pie bigger and more delicious.

To listen to the interview:

To download to listen later:

Victoria recommends several books and I have placed the links below. I have also placed all of her contact information so you can stay in touch with her. As you navigate (and negotiate) the holiday season,  have fun and be well. Love each other, share the information, and enjoy the conversation!

Follow Victoria on Twitter: vpynchon

Her blog on negotiation: Settle It Now Blog
Her blog on Intellectual Property Alternative Dispute Resolution: IP ADR Blog

Leigh Thompson’s book on developing the heart and mind of a negotiator.
To visit Leah’s site: Leigh Thompson’s site

Dr. Deborah Tannen’s book on the differences of men and women in communication style. To learn more about Dr. Tannen, visit her bio page here: Dr. Tannen Bio

Ask For It Site

I’ve offered this before, but if you haven’t already, get your 130 pg. free “Building a Business Not a Blog” ebook on how to start a new blog from the ground up. It’s straightforward and relatively easy. Like following a recipe! I can recommend it without reservation. (Hint- I also get amazing, high quality traffic when I post to the JohnCow blog with a link back – you could too if you just got involved!)

John Cow also has great resources to help you promote your blog once you get it going, so take a taste of their style by getting the free stuff and then see if it piques your interest for some of their other products, like CommentKahuna and TrafficKahuna. They’re affordable and effective – I use them and find them easy to use and very helpful.

Enjoy the goodies and contact me if I can help you further!

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

As you know, I was following the Cow vs. Conn blog contest. It’s all done but the crying at this point. The sites these two internet marketers created in only 30 days are now up for sale but lucky for you, John Cow has assembled his blog building journey into an ebook that he’s giving away for free.

I can attest this is good stuff. You get the exact steps you need to take to build a business, not just a blog, and he explains it very well. Good tool for our July goal of getting and converting traffic. A blog is simply ideal for that!

 To  get your free ebook,  go to
SmartWoman Sends Readers to John Cow

Enjoy reading and let’s get to work!

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

p.s. By the way, I just launched a reading literacy site inspired by
renowned Learning Styles co-creator Dr. Rita Dunn.  Go check it out!
http://TeachingEveryChildToRead.com