Desiree Peeples

Giving it away for free…

August 8, 2011 by Desiree

One of the best ways to attract new clients and new customers is to give away a freebie. I’m sure this tactic is nothing new as we have all seen companies give away free samples, free consultations, free seminars, etc. all in an effort to attract new business. And why do they do this? Is it because they are good people who enjoy blessing others with their generosity? No, not really. They do this because it’s an excellent way to build some level of credibility and most importantly, get noticed. The reason so many businesses do this is because it works and it’s usually a cost-effective way to advertise.

So how can you get this strategy to work for you? Here’s some tips to keep in mind when coming up with your very own irresistible offer:

~Put some thought into what it is you’re going to offer. Today’s consumer is much more savvy and much more skeptical of “free” offers. Make sure your freebie is something of value and something your potential customer would find useful.

~Make it easy for people to take advantage of the offer. You definitely want to get some information from your customer such as name and email address, but don’t make the customer fill out a lengthy form or jump through numerous hoops to get the freebie. Doing so will probably leave your customer frustrated and unwilling to move forward.

~Deliver what is promised. If you change the rules mid-game, it will not only damage your credibility but it will also destroy any potential relationships that could have been established.

~Always, always follow up. Once your potential client has time to review or sample your offer, make sure you take the time to follow up and find out how you could further be of assistance. This is where almost all business owners/marketers fall short.

I hope these tips help you when deciding what to give away for free. Remember, your freebie may be the only way that some people will get to experience you and your business. So make sure you make it worth it their while…

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Why you must be in four places at once…

July 4, 2011 by Desiree
Whenever I work with a new client, one who has not yet established a presence online, I always recommend that they start their social media marketing efforts by accepting the idea that they need to be four places at once. Those four places are:
1. Their own self-hosted blog.
2. Facebook and Twitter
3. YouTube
4. LinkedIn
I called these the FOUR PILLARS or the foundation of your social media marketing. They are the bare minimums for developing an online presence that is effective and reaches far and wide. I know some people may disagree with this, but from my experience, this has been the most productive method that has generated the most results, both in the long and short terms.

The reasons for each are this:

*You (or your business) needs a self-hosted blog to be somewhat of a central hub for your presence online. This is where you have complete control and complete freedom to share whatever content you want, as often as you want, and as detailed as you want. You should always be using the other three pillars to be driving traffic back to your blog as much as possible.

*You need to be on Facebook and Twitter because like it or not, these social networking sites are literally changing the world and how we communicate. If you or your business does not have a profile and/or a fan page on Facebook or Twitter, not only will you appear to be outdated, but you will also be neglecting to take advantage of one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to connect with your potential clients and customers.

*You need to be on YouTube for two reasons: 1) It is the second largest and most visited website in the world and 2) Online video is a fast growing trend that cannot be ignored.

*You need to be on LinkedIn because this is where today’s businesses are doing business. Not only are the most prominent companies and organizations listed there, but it is also the place online for job seekers, career advice, and connecting with others in a professional online space.

Again, this is just the basics of getting started. But once you get online and see that virtually everything builds from these four pillars, expanding and growing from that is really quite simple.

If you’d like to learn more and are in the Atlanta, GA area, you may want to consider taking my workshops that covers each of these pillars in more detail. It’s called The Social Media Learning Series and it will teach you how to build an online presence that will support your online marketing efforts. If you’re not in the Atlanta area, stay tuned for more news and updates because I’ll be releasing online versions of these classes very soon.
Category Information | Tags: , basics, foundation, media, social | No Comments
QOTW: How often should I post to my blog?

June 30, 2011 by Desiree

Today’s Question of the Week is one I get asked frequently: “How often should I post to my blog?” In the video below, I answer it.

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QOTW: More than one blog?

June 13, 2011 by Desiree

Have you considered starting up a second or even a third blog? When is the right time to do so? In this week’s QOTW I answer exactly that…

Category Information | Tags: , blog, how to, media, QOTW, second, social, starting | No Comments
QOTW: How do I become a brand ambassador?

June 6, 2011 by Desiree

I had someone ask me about how to become a brand ambassador or brand advocate. In this video, I do my best to give a quick perspective and some simple answers on how to make it happen… enjoy!

Category Information | Tags: , advocate, ambassador, blog, blogger, blogging, brand, how to | 3 Comments
QOTW: Dealing with negative blog comments

May 27, 2011 by Desiree

In this video, I answer a reader’s question about how to handle her first negative blog comment. My response may not be what you think… check it out.

Category Information | Tags: , handle, how to, negative blog comments | 2 Comments