by Sharon Michaels (Read about her here.)

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There are some powerful and inexpensive ways to market your business using your computer and the Internet. It doesn’t matter if you are spending hundreds or thousands of dollars, or using the many free marketing tools available on the web, the key to a successful income-producing marketing plan is to aim your efforts at your target market.

My advice is to truly understand your target market and be able to relate effectively to their needs, wants and desires. You may want to ask yourself these questions:

• Who will be purchasing my products or services?
• Why do they want to purchase my products/services?
• How will my products/services enhance my customer’s life?
• What specifically do I want my target market to know about the product/service I’m providing?
• How easily can my target market find and purchase my products or services?

With those questions in mind, let’s look at a few inexpensive ways to reach and impress your ideal customers.

1. Blogging - I am a big believer in blogging as long as you use your blog to provide information that will actually be read and used by your target market. If you choose to use your blog as a marketing tool, then it is your responsibility to provide meaningful information. Don’t waste time blogging if you are not providing your target market with valuable tips, strategies and how-to’s.

Free blogging platforms are available that make it easy to start and develop a blog. These platforms also provide templates, so your blog will instantly have a professional and interesting look and feel. A well read and respected blog takes a commitment of time and effort. To provide an effective blog you should plan on updating your posts at least once a week and preferably two or more times per week.

2. Reviewing books and products – Major websites, such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, provide free venues with which to reach your target market. Do a little research and find out where your target market shops. Go to those sites and begin reviewing products. Most sites allow a link to your website from each review you write – that’s free advertising.

Reviewing products is one more way to not only reach your target market but to set yourself apart as an expert in your field. Reviews are a targeted way to get your name and website listed in Google rankings, too. The more you write for the web, the more your target market will begin to know you, like you and trust you as the “go to” person in your field. Look around your bookshelf, office and home and decide which products you can begin reviewing today.

3. Free conference call services – FreeConferenceCall.com is the one I use for my tele-seminars and tele-conferences. I have a dedicated telephone number assigned to me and I’m able to schedule calls any time of day, any day of the week. I also have the capability to record my calls for use as a product or free give-away.

Clients and customers are looking for information to enhance their personal and professional lives, and if you can provide that information they will readily buy your products and use your services. One way to reach your ideal market, and to set yourself apart as an expert, is to provide tele-seminars and tele-conferences. In addition, you can then re-purpose the scripts from those calls into special reports and blog posts.

My advice is to make the best use of the free and inexpensive marketing tools available on the Internet. With the right marketing plan and a clear vision of your target market, you can reach that market right from your computer.

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Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

On our website, WomensMedia you should read these excellent articles:

• Financing a New or Growing Business: The Basics
• Team Branding: A Step-by-Step Path to Recognition
• 8 Great Strategies for Working Any Room

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Tags: marketing,, entrepreneur,, business,, women

by Suzanne Doyle-Morris, PhD  (Read about her here.)

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As an executive coach who specializes in working primarily with professional women, I

have long noticed that as a woman becomes more senior, the tone and pace of her voice becomes all the more important in getting her the recognition she deserves and credit for her ideas. This is also something that I noticed with the women I interviewed for my

book, Beyond the Boys’ Club. For example, Caroline, a logistics company IT director, received communication training with a top actor to help her career, after being told her erratic communication style was reminiscent of a “bumblebee in a glass jar.” She explained: “I had to learn that less is more. When I am nervous, my natural tendency is to speak more, which was not helpful for my image in the boardroom.”

What did the training give her? She replied, “Now I take the audience on a journey from where we are, to where we want to be, and how we are going to get there. He helped me work on my breathing, the structure of my comments, the way I engage with the team.

“The training sounded pink and fluffy to me initially, but I am smart enough to know that I’m not perfect. I have to be prepared to give anything that could help a try. Initially, because I work with so many men, most of whom would be dubious of this approach, I felt a bit inferior for seeking help. I now realize it’s the people who think they know it all who are stupid not to try.” The end result for Caroline? She concluded, “Since then, there has been virtually unanimous feedback that others have seen a step change in my delivery. The key is in keeping an open mind.”

Ana Pacheco was also conscious of her voice in meetings, and the impact it had on others. She explained, “I naturally talk fast, and to develop my credibility I slow down. In interviews or big presentations, I make a concerted effort to slow my pace, though I do have to think about it.” Like many of the women I interviewed, Ana knows a slower pace and a lower tone of voice give the impression of being in control—and a certain measure

of gravitas.

Janet Davies also found it useful to moderate both the volume and the tone of her voice when speaking in meetings. She exclaimed, “Try not to make your point with a quiet or squeaky voice! The way some people get ignored you might almost think some women have voices that only dogs can hear!” She suggested, “Take it down a couple of notches in tone, and make it more measured. Make your comments succinct and maintain eye contact so they have nowhere else to look but your face.”

Regarding communication, Janet shared some useful advice on eye contact when you are the only woman in the room. She said, “There will be one person in particular you want to make an impression on. If it’s a man, keep your eyes on him—because if there are five men in the room, the other men may look to him as to whether they should listen to you. That’s why it’s a good idea to find out people’s job titles or positions in the organization. Do a little research beforehand if they are strangers. Sometimes you won’t know who’s the main decision maker. Just look for the little hints as to who is the alpha male—as

the rest of the pack will look to see if he is approving of you before they will give your their open approval.” So to get the next level of your career, go low, slow and give full eye contact so that they know you are a woman worth taking seriously.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

Or on our website, WomensMedia you should read:

Differences Between Men and Women: An Interview with Martha Barletta or

Business Women Can Play in the Boys’ Club or 7 Steps to the Best Leadership Style.

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By Stacey Hanke (Read about her here.)

(Listen to it here.)

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You’ve just finished an effective presentation, sales call, or meeting, and it’s time for the inevitable (and often dreaded) question-and-answer session.

For many people, the most frightening part of any conversation is the unscripted part. Suddenly your mind goes blank and the nightmare begins. What if someone asks you a question you can’t answer? What if a listener turns hostile? What if someone monopolizes your thinking and wipes your brain clear of all relevant knowledge?

How you handle questions and answers can either make or break your credibility and your opportunity to build a relationship with your audience. Both the content of your answers and your behavior in delivering those answers play critical roles in how you handle questions and answers.

Do’s

To deliver brief, clear answers that help to strengthen your credibility and overcome any hostility or negativity, do …

1. …connect with the questioner’s eyes to show them you are listening. Be careful not to interrupt the questioner; if you don’t wait for the entire question, your answer may be inadequate.

2. …direct the first two sentences of your answer to the questioner when presenting to two or more people. Then, to keep your listeners involved, direct the remainder of your answer to the entire group.

3. …at the end of your response, provide closure by asking the questioner, “Does that answer your question?” Another option is to end the response by visually connecting with the questioner and nodding your head for closure.

4. …keep your answers brief. Answer only what has been asked. If you elaborate on your answer you run the risk of getting off track, not answering the question and losing the attention of your listeners.

5. …ask for clarification in the following situations:

• When the question is unclear

• When the questioner asks several questions and you need to determine which to answer first

• When someone makes a statement and you are unclear whether they are looking for a response or merely voicing an opinion.

Don’ts

To help strengthen your credibility, don’t …

1. …fidget, avoid eye connection, lean or take steps backwards, away from your listeners.  Instead, communicate that you are open and willing to take questions by standing still and staying focused on your listeners.

2. …raise your voice, speak with an aggressive tone, or invade the questioner’s space as you are answering a question. Instead, maintain your composure, remain calm and answer the question with poise and dignity.

3. …exclaim, “Good question!” Most speakers use this comment as a filler to buy time while they search for an answer. Instead, simply pause to give yourself time to think.

4. …use the words “but” and “however” when answering a question. These words communicate, “You’re wrong and I’m right.” This invites your questioner to fight back or dispute your position. Nothing productive can result from “but” and “however” when used in this context.

5. …repeat the listener’s question unnecessarily. Repeating a question can be helpful if you think that other listeners didn’t hear it. Ask the questioner to repeat the question to clarify any miscommunication.

Effectively managing questions and answers can help to communicate your knowledge of the topic to your listener.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on Twitter, or StaceyHanke here.

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On our website, WomensMedia you should read this: 10 Tips From Gretchen Rubin on How to Be Happy at Work

and you may benefit from this:  Business Communication: 5 Tips for Building Your Authority.

It may help to listen to:

Gender Communication with Authority And Care —A Business Woman Can Be Careful Without Losing Her Authority
or read the blog here.

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