Here is an interview that Ilise did with Kim Duke, the Sales Diva, for Prosperity Cafe. It's all about finding prospects. Listen in...

This week, the issue of "regular" marketing is suddenly reframed for Colleen: not only is it a marathon, not a sprint (and cumulative, in a most excellent way), it allows for all kinds of adaptive implementation. Listen in to find out why...

Welcome to Week 43. This week, Colleen has realized that marketing is becoming as much a part of her routine as brushing her teeth. Listen in...

Ever feel like you wish you could turn back time and "unpublish" something really stupid that you did? This week was like that for Colleen. Check out all the gory details on How She Screwed Up (so hopefully, you don't have to).

Colleen is continuing to streamline at a steady pace since her freakout of a few weeks back. She's moving toward her stated goals of clearing backlog and implementing systems that support her work. Listen in for more...

With just 12 weeks left in the year, Colleen is taking a look backward at what's been not-so-hot and what's been fun, valuable and energizing. And she's come up with a list of tactics. Check them out.

 

Colleen attended two events this week that have already changed her life—marketing and otherwise—significantly. Listen in to find out more.

This was one of those weeks where Colleen had to push a little extra hard because so many opportunities came up. Listen in...

Welcome to Week 38! Did you know that NOW is the perfect time for marketing?  Listen in to find out why...

One great thing about practicing your marketing everyday (other than, we hope, getting better at it) is that after a while, you have lessons thrown at you so many times, they become useful practice in your everyday, working life. Take shutting up, for example. This week, Colleen looks into the benefits of the fine art of shutting up. Listen in...

 

It's not everyday that you get interviewed...by yourself. But to commemorate having 2/3rds of a Marketing Mentor calendar under her belt, that's just what Colleen did. Listen to her burning questions (to herself) on how the calendar has worked and what her plans are for moving forward.

Ready to learn the right way to prep for a conference? Colleen shares the mistakes she's made prepping (or not) for conferences and gigs in the past -- and demonstrates how to improve.

 

What do you do if you're not good at asking for stuff? You look at why. You look at when you have asked, and when you haven't, and what's different. You look at what it could do for your business or you or even the world if your "ask" got an answer.

Basically, you look. That's what Colleen did this week, and here's what she found...

Have you found a schedule that works for you?  This week, Colleen looks into the topic of scheduling and how finding one that's right for you is so important for your marketing efforts.

This week, Ilise is busy getting ready for the Creative Freelancer Conference in San Diego (it starts in 9 days but it's not too late to register). Here is a short (12 minute) excerpt from the session she gave at the HOW Conference in June. In this one, Ilise covers the 10+ skills and personality traits she thinks you need if you are going to run a successful business, whether you're a freelancer or a small business owner.

This past week, Colleen sent out her 28th email newsletter.  She says things are starting to happen as she tightens her focus and feels it makes for enough of a milestone to reflect on where she's been and what I might need to do in the coming months. Listen in...

Colleen says that getting your marketing machine up and running is a big endeavor that takes time, patience and a big appetite, much like eating the proverbial elephant. This week, Colleen reflects on some of the help she's enlisted in the eating of her elephant, both the paid and the free (well, paid in time) kinds.

This week, Ilise tells how she met her July goals, and shares some useful resources to help you meet yours too.

This week, Colleen takes to the road!  She learns how she's grown, and also  where there's still room to do so.  She calls the week of traveling "wildly illuminating."  Listen to find out why...

This week's sound advice is the first 10 minutes of the workshop Ilise gave for creative freelancers at the recent HOW Conference in Austin. It starts with her perspective on what's happening now in the economy (and why it's the best time for freelancers to build a business), followed by the myths and realities of being a successful freelancer, including why getting word of mouth isn't such a good thing... Listen in!

Colleen makes personal marketing history this week!  She calls week 29 the week when everything finally came together. She's really beginning to notice that doing her marketing consistently could make a real difference both in how she felt and how things actually worked.  Listen for more...

Type-A personality?  This week Colleen offers a new perspective on business, and demonstrates how she's growing and changing.

Welcome to week 27!  This week, Ilise talks to Jonathan Cleveland of Cleveland Design.  He recently got a project from a travel company with no travel experience by submitting a few designs!  But is it spec work?  Listen in for Ilise's interview with Jonathan.

At the halfway point in the year, Colleen takes a moment to reflect.  She shares what she's learned about marketing by doing it every day for the past 6 months.  Listen in...

Today is the first day of 3rd quarter. We are half way through the year, the perfect time to look back and look forward to realistically assess what we've done and what we need to be improve. Listen in for Ilise's second quarter results.

This week was all about support for Colleen, both learning the difference it made for her personally, and realizing what a difference it would make if she applied some of the lessons to her own business and her marketing in particular.  Listen in!

When Ilise was in Boston last week, she had dinner with longtime client Jonathan Cleveland. He told her a great story about how he got a project for a travel company without any history of travel related work.  Check it out here!

Watch out for Colleen, she's really building stamina now. In addition to its cumulative positive effect on your business and cashflow, this week, Colleen benefits from the stamina of doing her marketing chores regularly.

 

 

How can you really set yourself apart from the competition?  In this week's sound advice tip, Ilise will share what is making people stand out and getting them jobs.

Ilise has been on a cold calling roll this week.  Listen in to hear her strategy.

Now that we're about halfway through the year, Colleen takes a look at the question of how to measure all this marketing and networking.  How is it converting into dollars? How do you decide how much time to put in, and when (and how) do you decide whether it's working or not?  Let's take a look...

This week, Colleen shares her renewed appreciation of the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan & Calendar, and the art of planning in general.  Here's why...

Everyone's asking: what markets are growing (or declining the least)?  An article in the New York Times gives some insight to one market that might still be going strong, and could be relevant for your business. Check it out.

As Colleen got back in the saddle, she had a great, productive, FUN week of work and marketing. To discover the "why" behind it, she takes some time to reflect.  Listen in!

Hope you had a good Memorial Day weekend-- and now it's back to work!  Listen in to get some inspriration from Ilise.

Blind spots and struggles.  We all have them.  And this week, Colleen  realizes that by sharing openly with people, you can get some great help seeing where your own blind spots are, and advice on how to get out of them.

Welcome to Week 20! How is the marketing plan + calendar working for you?  This week, Start Up Plan users should be cold calling, and Veterans should be crafting a newsletter (in addition to their continued calling).  Listen in for more...

Still recovering, Colleen talks about what she did accomplish this week (which would seem to be an impressive work load to anybody else!).  She also talks about why she's grateful for her marketing machine.  Do you have a marketing machine that has carried you through less productive times?

Even when she's sick in bed, Colleen still manages to see the bright side, providing 3 great tips to help anyone's self employment journey.  Check them out.

Welcome to May!  How was April for you... did you reach your April goal?  This month, it's time for Veterans to work on their "un-newsletter" and Start Up's to begin their research calling.  Listen in for details.

In this week's episode, Colleen discusses the cold, harsh realities of what happens when things go haywire. The truth is, we learn some of our best marketing and planning lessons when the road gets rocky. With her humor always in tact, she refers to the Odd Couple episode where Felix shows the group what happens when you A-S-S-U-M-E... Tune in to find out what Colleen learned this week... 

In the third audio cupcake, Ilise and Colleen talk about the realistic and unrealisitc expectations that go along with cold calling... none of which actually happen.  Listen in to find out if prospects ever really hang up on you.

A jam packed week of travel had Colleen thinking a lot about her marketing. Reinspired, she asks the question: Can marketing be a tool for changing the world?

Getting publicity can help you gain exposure to your prospects and it's a great way to enhance your other marketing efforts.  Ilise gives some tips on getting publicity for your business in today's tip.

Today, Ilise and Coleen talk about a common roadblock to cold calling.  The discuss the question: Do you need to have something ready to send before you start cold calling? Listen in to this short tip to find out. 

Things went slightly awry for Colleen this week because of life's surprises, (but she still managed to attend two formal events, a breakfast meeting, and business related socializing.)  She's paid attention to this week's lessons to move onward and upward.

Today's cold calling tidbit answers the question: Should you leave a voice mail message? Listen in to find out...

When it comes to taking the next step in marketing, Colleen realizes that a common pitfall is the idea that you'll never totally be ready. Accordingly, you might as well just get going!  If you're never quite ready, then what does it matter?  Marketing yourself is a work in progress.  What's the next step that you're not quite "ready" for?  Colleen says, just do it.  Listen in for a few ideas on taking that next step.

Today Ilise checks in with Jennifer Neal from K9 Design.  Has Jennifer's marketing efforts gotten her results this quarter?  Listen in to find out.

Colleen is really moving now.  And she's offering a different perspective on marketing this week-- Star Wars Marketing.  With her unique ability to keep marketing interesting, Colleen has certainly launched her efforts into a new realm this week.

Welcome to Week 13! Start Up followers will turn their newly launched website into promotional materials, Veteran's will use their newly re-launched website to inspire a press release. In this audio clip, Ilise talks about valuable resources that can help you get PR for business, whether you're a Start Up or a Veteran. Check it out...

Every small business owner gets their inspiration and support from somewhere, and in this week's post, Colleen shares where she gets hers from... The systems she has in place to keep herself productive and accountable... The people who keep her on track.  Like she says, a good support system really keeps you moving in the right direction. 

Are you hiding behind email?  Ilise talks about how picking up the phone this week has made a difference in her business, and how it can make a difference in yours. Listen in to see why... 

Giving herself permission  to put the Grow your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar on hold, Colleen immerses herself in the South by Southwest Conferences this week-- and realizes that conferences are marketing too.  Here's what she found out.

This week, Colleen struggles to keep up her lofty goals for 2009 and finds herself slipping.  She realizes that the way things are going, it's impossible to maintain all of her committments. The good news is, she finds a solution... She finds ways to be more productive while spending less time doing work. Sounds good, right?  Listen in to see how Colleen's insight can help you be more productive. 

 

How can you make sure your website is marketing smart?  How can you be more like Google?  And how can you use Facebook to better launch your website.  Listen to today's audio clip to find out. Ilise has also come up with a Marketing Smart website checklist to help you.  If you'd like a copy, email ilise@marketing-mentor.com with the subject "Marketing Smart Checklist."

This week, Colleen talks about the work in progress that is her website.  She also discusses the difficulties of being the (self-proclaimed) world's worst self-promoter.  She talks about testimonials-- Are they the  plague of the earth, or a useful marketing tool?  Listen to this entertaining episode to see how humor helps get her through, and allows her to make further progress in her marketing journey.

 

Welcome to March! We've been spending a lot of time on our web presence.  Today, Ilise talks about how to get the most useful feedback on your site.  Who should you ask?  What should you ask?  Listen in to find out...

Goals, goals, goals!  Ilise gets personal and talks about her goals and how she's doing with them.  Listen in to find out. How far have you come towards your monthly goal for February?  The good news is, March is just around the corner-- a new month, a new chance to pinpoint a goal and work towards it.   

She's a self-proclaimed militant fanatic-maniac when it comes to newsletters.  This week, Colleen is rocking and rolling-- getting her newsletter archives in order and completing other web marketing tasks.  How are you doing with your marketing efforts?

We're into week 8 and making some serious progress!  Great job!  This week, it's time to wrap up your online presence.  Listen in for some guidance and inspiration. 

Ah, the age old question... Blog or newsletter-- which one should you have for your business?  Ilise discusses the pro's and con's, and helps you decide what's right for you.

Following the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar has inspired Colleen to get some longstanding goals checked off her list.  She's pulled together her "hire me" page, created a landing page for acting related sites, and created a contact form page!  Looks like the marketing calendar sparked some excellent progress!

Welcome to week 7! Do your clients ever ask for more information about exactly what you do?  A case study is the perfect way to tell them.  Here is the format that Bending Design uses for their case studies-Project, challenge, solution, results, testimonial from the client.  Check it out!

Want to see what a good links page looks like?  Check them out here!  Ilise talks about each page, and tells us why they're excellent.  If you're working on a resource page-- these are sure to help.

Karen Zapp, Fundraising Copywriter: www.pkscribe.com
Joan Damico, Integrated Marcom Copywriter: www.jdamico.net
Ann Gallops, Feng Shui Expert: www.theorganizedlife.net
Bob Bly, B2B Copywriter: www.bly.com

And of course, the Marketing Mentor Resources page.

Want to demonstrate your expertise and help people at the same time? Then it's time to make a resource page on your website! This week, Colleen talks about sharing information wisely via her resource page, and rounding up her past newsletters into one place.

Do you have a website?  If not, it's time to get started on making one.  If you do, it's time to refresh your content and develop a resource or links page. This week, Ilise talks about how to develop a resource page or links page that supports your positioning.

Have you ever had trouble putting what you do into words?  This week, Colleen shares a three-step tool that will help you write a powerful bios for your social networking profiles.  It's a simple tool, but it will help with writing any bio you'll need in your marketing endeavors!

One of the best ways to get new clients-- is to have them read (or hear) the wonderful things that other's have said about working with you.  In this audio clip, Ilise talks about how to get (and give) endorsements or recommendations on LinkedIn. 

Did you meet your goals for January?  If not, take a few minutes today to create your goals for February. The focus for February is developing your online presence with social networking sites like Biznik.com, LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com, Twitter.com.  These sites can be used very effectively for marketing, but remember to be professional.  If you have profiles on other social networking sites, please send them to Ilise.  Thanks!

This week, Colleen isn't sharing demos or how-tos, but a cautionary tale about what not to do.  Remember, it's important to do one task at a time and not to get overwhelmed.  Colleen stresses the importance of measuring success by small I did-its!  She also talks about taking care of yourself, and adjusting the marketing plan so it becomes more personalized, and more realistic, for you.

Today, Ilise interviews Jennifer Neal from K9 Design. Jennifer reveals the tools that make up her "Marketing Machine" and descibes exactly how she uses them and fits them into her weekly schedule.  This will be a great help for anyone who is trying to work out the logistics of thier marketing efforts. Listen in, and find out how to make your own marketing machine work for you.

This week, Colleen tackles unchartered terrian with her very first cold call ever.  Was it as bad as she'd imagined?  Listen in to find out!  You will also find some excellent tips on how to make cold calls a success.

Check out this free consultation Ilise had with Dennis G. Dennis is a designer in Indiana who generously agreed to let Ilise tape the phone consultation they had last week. They talked a lot about how he can leverage what he does know as he enters new markets. Here's what else he wanted to know:
-What if I have never focused on marketing? Can I start with nothing?
-How do I brave a new industry (when I'm not experienced)?
-How do I know if the market I've chosen is the "right" market?
-Isn't it expensive to join lots of trade associations?
-How do I navigate the ups & downs?

If Dennis' questions sounds like questions you have, take a listen and see what you can learn.  You can also take advantage of your own free half hour phone consultation with Ilise by clicking here.

How are you doing at the end of two weeks?  Is your target market clear, or mushy? Have you found a list you can work with, events you can attend, or places you can interact with your prospects?  Listen in for some inspiration from Ilise. 

Colleen, aka the communicatrix, will be straight with you- she hates cold calls.  Here, she talks about how she's putting aside her hatred and  getting ok with idea of calling someone.  Keeping it low key, being prepared, and the hamburger theory, can help you get your head around the idea.  Listen in, and follow along.  Remember, you're not doing htis alone, you've got Colleen as your guide.

Are you still listening?  Good job!  It's important that you don't give up. Just a few minutes each day can make a big difference in the long run. Listen in today for some more guidance and inspiration. 

Marketing doesn't have to be overwhelming.  Today, Ilise deals with not getting overwhelmed, and answers a few questions about trade associations.  Thanks for following along, and keep up the good work!

 

Things are really moving now-- it's time to get a list together of actual prospects!  Listen in, and for your reference, here are the links Ilise talks about in this podcast. 

1. YPulse Mashup (conference for marketing to youth that provides a list of attendees)
2. Massachusetts Surgical Centers (web site that provides all contact info)

After a successful week 1, we're on to week 2!  Today it's time to look more closely at the trade associations you've found.  What kind of contact information can you find? P.S. We've compiled a list of all the trade associations you've sent in just in case you need help.

Marketing Mentor's Colleen Wainwright, aka communicatrix, begins her 52-week marketing endeavor with the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar (Veteran's version) as her guide.  She talks about Week 1's challenge, wrangling your contacts into a database, and gives you all the specifics you'll need to do the same. If you're following the Veteran's calendar, or you're an experienced marketer setting out on your 2009 marketing plan, Colleen will get down to the nitty-gritty and give you the support you need.  Join Colleen as she embarks on this marketing journey!

 

You've found some trade associations for the markets you're interested in-- now what?  Now it's time to find out which ones will make your marketing easiest. Listen in to find out how, and by the end of today you should be able to pinpoint your market!  You're doing great-- and we look forward to continuing this journey next week.

Today you will take your list of 3 possible markets and figure out which market will be the most viable for you.  It's important that the market you choose needs you, realizes that they need you--and is willing to pay for your services. How can you tell which market is the most viable? Listen today.  And don't forget to send your list of markets and trade associations to Ilise, at Ilise@marketing-mentor.com.

It's time to identify your market!  Every successful business needs a well-oiled marketing machine to keep the prospects coming, and that marketing machine should focus on one market to start with! How do you choose your market?  Listen to find out.

How much marketing should you do?  Find out in today's tip.  Also, today is the day to set some quantifiable goals for the year ahead.    And don't forget to send them to Ilise at Ilise@marketing-mentor.com so she can keep track of them.  Listen and follow along with today's tip- and your business will be growing in no time.

Week 1, Day 1- It's time to get revved up for a successful year of marketing!  Which tools should you use? How can you make sure your pipeline is full this year? The answer is in your marketing plan. Without a plan, the feast or famine syndrome is right around the bend. 

What if you don't have a plan?  We created one for you.  It's called the 2009 Grow your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar (www.marketing-mentor-store.com), and following it will help you  keep your pipeline full. By working with this plan you will gain new clients, business will grow, make more money, learn and refine tools and strategies to benefit your business for years to come. 

Join us for daily motivation to help your business grow, whether you're using the Marketing Mentor Plan + Calendar or your own. 

Here's to a successful 2009!