I have a confession to make. I have been using social networking to build my list and market my business long before it was the “it” thing to do. In fact, social networking has been a solid list building performer for me ever since I have started my business.

However, something happened in 2008. Social networking went from being a solid performer to being the star list building referral for my list. You see, in 2008 social networking became very hot and everyone, and I mean *everyone* jumped on the social networking bandwagon. I saw people who have never used social networking in their lives create new accounts on Facebook and Twitter and jump right in.

More people than ever are using social networking, but how does it affect your business? More people using social networking means there are more people in your target market who are using social networking. You can reach many more people through social networking now than you could just a year ago. What are you waiting for? Now is the best time to use social networking to reach your target market and build your list. Here is how:

– Spend Time On Creating/Updating Your Profile Page. It amazes me that when I visit business owners’ profile pages on Facebook and other social networks, some do not have their web site listed. If your web site is not listed on your profile, you are missing a golden opportunity to expand your list.

When your target market is visiting your profile, they want to see your web site. If you do not have your web site listed, you will not be able to get subscribers from your social networking efforts.

– Link Directly To Your Newsletter Subscription Page. You want to get subscribers from your social networking efforts, right? So make sure that the links that you use on your social networking profiles link directly to your newsletter subscription page.

– Build Relationships With People You Meet. People buy from those they know, like and trust. Don’t just promote yourself all the time. Get to know your contacts and they will get to know you.

For example, on Twitter, spend 80-90% of your twits to help others, share useful content and network. Limit promotion to 10-20% of the time. When you do this, more people will follow you and more people will want to get to know you, which will translate into more subscribers over time.

– Blog And Share Your Blog Posts On Social Networks. Sharing your blog posts is another great way to demonstrate your expertise to your target market. And you don’t even have to share your posts manually. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all have tools that will automatically check your blog and post your blog post to the network automatically.

All you need to do is to set it up and your blog posts will be shared with your followers every time you have a new blog post.

– Offer Events. A great way to invite more people to your list is to offer an event and invite your social networking contacts to join you for the event.

Take action on at least one of these tips today and start building your list with social networking today!

I think that social networking is extremely important for list building. This is why there is a lot of information on using social networking to build your list in the Build Your List Home Study Guide.

Get the Home Study Guide now at https://www.EffectiveListBuilding.com

Biana Babinsky

P.S. This is the only time this year that I am offering this Teleseminar Series. Make sure to register to join me on the calls at https://www.EffectiveListBuilding.com

Viral marketing is a wonderful way to share your message and reach out to people to whom you would not ordinarily have had access to.

And no worries, viral marketing has nothing to do with diseases. It is a marketing strategy that helps you spread your message and your branding by engaging others and having them help you spread the message. You want your message to reach many people and replicate like a virus, hence the name.

One of the biggest benefits of viral marketing is being able to reach people in your target market that you would not have been able to reach otherwise. When your message is shared virally, people will let others know about you and your offers, helping your message reach many more people.

Social networking is one of the best ways to share your message virally. This is because different social networking web sites provide you with tools to facilitate sharing messages. For example, on Twitter others can re-tweet your message, meaning they will share it with their followers. When they do this, their followers are going to see information about you and your offer.

On Facebook there is a ton of tools that help you virally market your business. When someone writes on your wall, for example, the information about this is posted to their page. Now when people come to their page, they can click on your name and visit your profile.

If you are promoting a teleseminar on Facebook and someone agrees to come, this information becomes visible to their friends. Now their friends are able to check out your teleseminar. Information about your teleseminar is being spread through viral marketing.

So, how can you use social networking to share your message virally? Here are three steps to help you do that:

– Have something to offer. Don’t just promote your business; have something else to share. People are much more likely to share a blog post, a product or a teleseminar than just your business web site.

– Share information. People can’t share information about what you have to offer unless they know about it. Don’t market all the time, but do spend a bit of time on sharing information about what you have to offer.

– Use social networking tools available to you to your advantage. There are many tools available to automate your networking. For example, you can connect Twitter and Facebook and have your twits appear on Facebook without your doing anything extra, thus helping you spread the word much faster.

Many of your friends’ actions are visible to their friends. When your friends write on your wall, agree to attend your teleseminar, join your group, etc – those actions are visible to their friends. You, your group, and your teleseminars become visible to friends of your friends through viral marketing.

Your action item for today is to see how you can use viral marketing to promote your teleseminars and products.

Biana Babinsky

P.S. Learn more about using the Internet to get clients – get my FREE Report, “How To Get Clients Online”

Here is a question I got recently:

Biana, I have been following your advice and I am seeing great results. I am now using my article marketing and blogging to bring in web site visitors, turn them into newsletter subscribers and then into clients. Last month I got 74 new subscribers!!!

I was on your social networking call a few months ago where you talked about social networking and Twitter in particular. I am wondering how I should incorporate Twitter into my existing online marketing strategy. Should I use it to bring people to my web site? Should I use it to get more newsletter subscribers? What’s the best way to do that?

Biana’s answer: I think it is great that you are thinking about adding Twitter to your marketing lineup. Social networking has been a part of my online marketing strategy for a long time and social networking has been bringing great results year after year.

I also find it’s great that you are creating strategy for using Twitter and how it is going to fit into your online marketing plan before starting to use it. I see many business owners starting to use Twitter and other social networking web sites, use them for a while and only then try to understand how to fit them into their online marketing plan to generate leads and clients. By thinking about this before you jump in you are way ahead of many business owners.

I recommend using Twitter for listening to your target market, creating awareness for your brand and expertise, and building your list. You can also use Twitter for promoting your products, teleseminars and services. But if you use it first to accomplish the first three tasks, you will see much better results when you do start promoting your products, teleseminars and services. Here is how it works:

– Listen To Your Target Market. One of the biggest benefits that Twitter provides business owners with is the ability to connect with their target market and hear what the target market is talking about.

One of the biggest challenges that business owners face is not knowing what they target market needs. At Twitter you are able to listen to your target market, see what kind of issues your target market is experiencing and what kind of help your target market needs.

Now use this information to offer a product or a service that your target market needs and you will see great results!

– Create Awareness For Your Brand And Expertise. Twittering, sharing and connecting with others will help you create more awareness for your business. Many people learn about their new Twitter friends by following their profile link. So make sure you include your link and watch your web site traffic increase!

And, twits are listed in search engines, thus helping you increase awareness of your business even more!

– Build Your List. The bigger your list, the more successful your business is. Use Twitter to build your list by sharing information about your free gift and your newsletter with your followers. Don’t promote it all the time, but it’s perfectly fine to mention your offers from time to time.

Make Twitter part of your Online Marketing Strategy – you will see that with some thinking and planning, you can start seeing results from social networking! For more information on using Twitter to promote your business, join me for How To Use Twitter To Promote Your Business Teleseminar at https://www.avocadoconsulting.com/rlinks/ztr

More tips for using Twitter to market your business:

– What Is Twitter? Answers To Popular Questions About Twitter

– 7 Things To Do To Promote Your Business On Twitter

Biana Babinsky

This article is an excerpt from the “5 Keys For
Getting Clients During A Recession” Special Report, available for you, FREE, at https://www.EffectiveOnlineMarketing.com

I have taught hundreds of business owners how to market online and get clients. What I always find interesting is that some people who have hired me to work with them didn’t need to be taught marketing. They knew a lot about marketing, what kind of marketing techniques were available and how to apply them.

What they actually needed help with was changing their marketing mindset. Many business owners feel that marketing has an aura of sleaziness around it. They feel that marketing is somehow dirty and an honorable business owner should not be engaged in it. They don’t feel that they should market – they feel that their customers should just find them and come to them.

Unfortunately, customers can’t just find you on their own. They need to know that you are out there, that you are an expert at what you do, and that you can help them with their problems. You must market to communicate all of that to them.

The good news is, though, that marketing does not have to be sleazy or dirty. Marketing can be fun, honorable and ethical and still be effective. And the first thing that you need to do to market ethically and effectively is to change the way you approach marketing.

You need to create a good marketing mindset. This kind of mindset will not sabotage your marketing efforts, and it will help you get the best results from marketing. It will also help you identify marketing techniques that will make your marketing authentic, as well as effective. What’s better than that?

Here is how to create a marketing mindset that will help you get clients, fill up your teleseminars and multiply your profits honestly and ethically:

– Be honest with yourself. Understand that you must market to get clients and be successful. You will be able to pick how you market, but you must do something to bring in clients.

– Understand what marketing is. Marketing is a process designed to introduce your target customers to your business, to invite them to request more information and to get to know you.

– Realize that you are not pushing things on people that people don’t want. Rather, your potential clients need your help and your expertise enables you to provide that help.

Your potential clients have real problems and they need real help. When you market, you let them know that you can help them. What can be more valuable than that? You are not trying to sell them something they don’t want, but something they want and need!

– Find marketing techniques that you enjoy the most, and start using them! Of social networking, article marketing, search engine optimization, blogging, which ones do you like the most? You will get better results, make a difference for your clients and enjoy marketing in the process!

Make your mindset work for you – you will help more people, get more clients and will be happy about the way you market your business!

For more information on how to market your business in today’s economy, download my FREE report, “5 Keys For
Getting Clients During A Recession” Special Report, at https://www.EffectiveOnlineMarketing.com

Biana Babinsky

Hi,

As you probably know, the National Bureau of Economic Research announced on December 1st that we have been in recession for about a year. I am sure that you, as a business owner, have seen the signs of recession before the National Bureau of Economic Research made the announcement.

I have been seeing the signs of recession as well, because I have been getting emails from dozens of business owners every single week asking me about marketing in recession. To help these business owners, I decided to write an article on how to get clients during a recession.

However, as I started to write this article, I saw that I wanted to say much more than I could fit into a one-page article.

So instead I wrote a report: “5 Keys For Getting Clients During A Recession” and it is available for you, FREE, at
https://www.EffectiveOnlineMarketing.com

Get the report and discover:

– – How to find a target market filled with people hungry for your products

– The best marketing techniques to use in recession

– Five keys to building your list easier and faster

– Two questions to ask yourself to make your social networking extremely profitable

and much, much more.

Download the report, FREE, at

https://www.EffectiveOnlineMarketing.com

Biana Babinsky

Two Types Of People At A Sporting Event

Have you ever been to a sporting event or seen one on TV? ou will find two types of people at any sporting event. First there are players – people who make the event happen. Without them there would not be a sporting event.

Then there are spectators, people who come to watch the sporting event. There are many more of them than players. They are here to watch, not play and participate.

Same Two Types Of People Dominate Social Networking

You will see exactly the same thing on social networking web sites. There are players – people who actively participate, share and teach. They usually set the tone of the social networking site.

Then there are many more spectators – people who read and follow, but rarely express their opinion or do anything else.

Some people use a combination strategy. They sometimes participate and at other times observe. I call them playtators, a combination of a player and spectator.

Is Being A Spectator Bad?

No, all of the three models that I described can work, they will just work for different people. The model that you choose will depend on your goals for social networking.

For example, if your goal is to do research and find a target market for your business, being a spectator is fine. You will observe and see what your target market is doing, how it interacts and what kind of issues it is experiences.

But if your goal is to get clients in addition to doing research, then you must participate. First, listen and see what others are doing. But then jump in, participate, share your point of view and show your expertise. That is the only way to get clients and stop being a spectator.

Sounds Like A Playtator, Doesn’t It?

The model I describe above, both listening and participating, sounds like a combination of being a player and a spectator. Being a playtator (player and spectator) is best for social networking. You should definitely participate (player), but at the same time, if you keep talking without listening to others, many people will tune out.

Social networking is a two-way street. You will get the best results when you participate and listen to others.

For more information on using social networking to get clients, get my How To Get Clients With Social Networking Home Study Guide at https://www.avocadoconsulting.com/rlinks/znetwork

What are you? A player, spectator or playtator when it comes to social networking? Share in the comments!

Biana Babinsky

As I share with my clients and colleagues about how useful Twitter has been for promoting my business this year, many people are asking me questions about Twitter. Here are the seven most popular questions that I have received about Twitter:

1. What Is Twitter?

Twitter is a social networking web site where you can network with others. You are networking in real time and your have to fit what you want to say into 140 characters.

The beauty of Twitter is that unline many social networking web sites it offers very few options. But this simplicity also makes Twitter a very powerful social networking tool.

2. How do I use Twitter to promote my business?

You can use Twitter to connect with your target market, share your blog posts, promote your expertise, build relationships, gain affiliates and many more things. You are only limited by your imagination.

3. How to use Twitter to promote my website?

– Use the URL field to list your URL

– Fill out your biography and your real name – more people will click on your link when they see a name and a bio.

– Share links to your web site in your twits

4. I want people to subscribe to my twits using RSS readers. How do i find my twitter rss feed URL?

Go to your Twitter page and scroll to the bottom. The link to your Twitter RSS Feed is on the left hand side of the page.

5. I want to follow more people on Twitter. How can I follow other twitter member’s followers?

Go the person’s Twitter page and click on the number of people that follow them. You will be able to look through the list of the person’s followers and follow the ones that you want.

6. I want to update my Facebook page through Twitter, I have seen other people do it. What Facebook Twitter status update client should I use?

Use the Twitter application on Facebook. It will update your Facebook status with your Twitter twits.

7. Can you give me some advice for using Twitter to promote my teleseminars?

Twitter is great to promote your events and products. But remember this – share useful information first, and promote yourself second. The vast majority of your twits should be about useful tips, sharing information, helping others. Then, use your other twits (one every 10 twits or so) to promote your teleseminars. That way those who find your information and tips useful will click on your links and check out your teleseminars.

For more information on how to use Twitter to promote your business, register for How To Promote Your Business With Twitter Teleseminar at https://www.avocadoconsulting.com/rlinks/ztr

Biana Babinsky

After I announced the How To Use Twitter To Promote Your Business Teleseminar to members of my online business coaching program, I started getting questions from many business owners asking me how can one promote their business in 140 characters or less.

Here is a list of 7 things you can do to promote your business on Twitter:

1. Use Your Profile To Display The Link To Your Web Site. It will help you get more traffic to your web site and it will let others on Twitter learn more about you.

2. Share Information About Your Events. I had 473 people register for my Online Marketing Plan teleseminar last week. Some of the people found out about the teleseminar on Twitter.

3. Share What You Do. But don’t keep saying “Hire me!” – doing this will not get you any clients. But naturally sharing what you do and who your perfect clients are will get you great results.

4. Post Your Blog Posts To Your Twitter Account. You can automate this part, or you can post your blog posts to your account manually. When your friends on Twitter are able to read your blog posts, they will be able to get to know you and your business better.

5. Help Others. Re-tweet messages of others that resonate with you, let your followers know about your friends’ events, etc. When you help others they remember it and, in turn, will help you.

6. Use Your Name. People like to talk to a person, not a business name. Use your name either as a handle, or at least have your name listed in your profile.

7. Promote Your Brand. Put up your logo, change your page colors to your web site colors, etc. Do as much as you can to promote your brand with your Twitter page.

So here are 7 things that you can do on Twitter to promote your business. There are many more things you can do – please use the comments to add to the list!

And for more information on promoting your business on Twitter, register for the How To Promote Your Business On Twitter Teleseminar.

Biana Babinsky

I recently heard from a business owner who said that she watched TV for just an hour and it left her very scared of the state of the economy and how it was going to affect her business. My first recommendation was to turn off the TV and concentrate on her business and her customers instead.

But then I started thinking – what could she have in that one hour instead of watching the news that would have helped her with her business? Here are 10 things that take just 1 hour to do and that help you market your business:

1. Write an article that you can submit to article directories to market your business.

2. Spend an hour on Twitter networking and getting to know your followers.

3. Review your web site statistics to learn how your web site visitors are using your site.

4. Write a blog post.

5. Approve and welcome new Facebook friends.

6. Listen to a marketing teleseminar or audio recording. Here is one marketing audio recording for you to listen to: 5 Keys For Creating Your Online Marketing Plan Audio Recording.

7. Submit an existing article to article directories. You can submit it to 10-15 directories in an hour.

8. Reply to your e-mail.

9. Review one of your sales letter to improve conversions.

10. Do keyword research and find good keywords to use on your web site, so that you can get more search engine traffic.

So here are my 10 things you can do in just 1 hour to promote your business. I am sure there are many more – what are the things you recommend doing to promote a business that will only take 1 hour?

Biana Babinsky

Every time I review traffic coming to my blog, I see a lot of traffic coming from search engines. How do search engines bring traffic to my blog? Here is how:

– I come up with a post idea and write a blog post.

– I optimize the post for search engines and post it on my blog.

– The post gets indexed in search engines.

– People who have never heard of me before use search engines to find information. They see my blog post in the search engine, visit the post and read it.

Search engine traffic is very useful – if I look further into my statistics, I see that some people who come to my blog from search engines subscribe to my blog feed, subscribe to my newsletter and become clients. And search engine traffic is free – it does not cost me anything to get this traffic to my blog.

So how can you capitalize on this and bring free search engine traffic to your blog? Here is how:

Come Up With Good Topics For Your Blog Posts

It is not enough for people to find your blog posts using search engines. When they come to your blog, you need to convince them to stay and read. And this is done by writing interesting blog posts.

Optimize Your Blog Posts For Search Engines

Do research and find popular keywords that you can use in your blog posts. Then, use these keywords to optimize your post. Use a keyword in your blog title and use it in your blog post’s text.

Warning: do not use the keywords too many times in the blog text. A few mentions are ok, but too many will adversely affect your search engine rankings.

Get Links To Your Blog

Using keywords is not enough. In order to get good rankings in search engines, your blog must have other web sites linking to it.

There are lots of different ways to get links to your blog. You can participate in blog rolls and use article marketing and social networking sites and do many other things to get links to your blog.

Monitor And Make Changes Accordingly

Monitor your search engine traffic and analyze the keywords that search engines use to drive traffic to your blog. You may find keywords that you are not using yet in your statistics. Start using them to drum up even more traffic.

Keep refining your search engine optimization strategy based on what you learn in your statistics. Doing this will help you get more search engine traffic to your blog.

I discuss how to get traffic to your blog in the How To Get More Traffic & Readers For Your Blog Study Guide. Get it now at https://www.marketingsalad.com/blog.html

Biana Babinsky