Get More Clients Online

The Entrepreneur's Secret Weapon: How to Leverage Your Time, Money & Energy to Create Your Lifestyle Business

I've flung open the doors for my list members and my social networks for this normally members-only event because I believe so strongly in the content -- I hope you decide to join us for this free call!

Have you ever felt stuck at a certain level of success because you couldn't possibly squeeze anything more into your already crazy-busy schedule? Do you long to hand off those energy-draining tasks you hate doing and procrastinate completing but don't know how? Are you still doing everything yourself because you can't imagine anyone being reliable or good enough to get the job done properly?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost opportunities, money in the bank and time off to pursue your bigger passions in life!

It's time to learn the secret to creating a seven figure freedom-based business leverage!

You'll find out:

• How delegating just three simple jobs can free you up to double your income and time-off.

• An easy-to-follow formula that will help you determine what to delegate and what to keep so you stay focused on your highest payoff activities.

• The three deadly mistakes entrepreneurs make with their teams and how to avoid making them.

• A simple two-step plan to make money instantly by outsourcing and delegating

• The million dollar question you MUST ask yourself before you hire a team (hint: it helps you hire the right people, for the right reasons so you get the right results)!

====>>>>  Register for the call here.

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--> It's My Next "Internet Marketing Thursday" call...

THURSDAY AFTERNOON, March 19, 2:00pm Eastern

TOPIC: "The Entrepreneur's Secret Weapon: How to Leverage Your Time, Money & Energy to Create Your Lifestyle Business" featuring OnlineBizU's Virtual Team Expert, Melanie Benson Strick

Melanie Benson Strick is the Million Dollar Lifestyle Business Coach because she knows first-hand how to build a successful, thriving company with her secret weapon -- LEVERAGE. Having learned first-hand the difference between a struggling solo-practice and a thriving six+ figure business, Melanie works exclusively with entrepreneurs who want to skyrocket their profits so they can experience more time off. With over 12 years experience in corporate project management, advanced results coaching and leadership development, Melanie turns her clients into profitable, high-payoff success stories. Melanie's clients enjoy an average growth rate of 172% within the first year while creating more time for living their dream lifestyle. View her full expert profile  here.  

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This call is FREE of charge and open to the public. 

====>>>>  Register for the call here.

 

Can't make the call?  No problem!  All participants will get the mp3 recording of the call.

Please join me next Thursday afternoon for an enlightening call on this unique topic!

If you are ready to banish overwhelm and discover how simple it is to accomplish massive results by leveraging other people's strengths, you need to listen in to this program!

To your online success!

PS - Even if you can't make the call, all participants will get an mp3 recording of the call.  Register today!

Instant Teleseminar

Instant Teleseminar

I've tried most of the free teleseminar systems and have run into difficulties with them all, from being locked out of my bridgeline to the failure of the service to record my presentation to callers being unable to join the call.

Because of these difficulties, I decided I need to pay for a teleseminar service, and I chose  Instant Teleseminar.  What is most attractive about the service is that you get 2 backup recordings of every call.  The edited version begins when you hit the "start recording" button in your web interface.  The other 2 automatically begin recording as soon as you call the bridgeline, so it records everything, including the computer voice prompts.  However, it was this version of the recording that recently saved me when one of my recordings cut off before the presentation was finished.  Lesson learned -- add 30-60 minutes to each presentation time in this service in case your session runs over.

I also like the fact that listeners can either call the teleconference line (which holds 200 callers) or listen via the web (up to 2000 listeners).  This is very convenient for listeners outside the US who don't want to incur expensive international toll calls.  Those listening via the web cannot interact live on the call.  However, there is a cool "ask a question" feature that is present on the event page where all listeners can ask questions.  The host can set the entire call to mute (helpful especially if you have a large number of people on the line) and just take question via the web interface.

The service also creates an event page that you can use as the event confirmation URL when someone registers for the call.  On it, you can easily link to a handout or study guide that you are making available as a part of the call. 

Once the call is complete, you can direct all of your registrants to the post-event page, where they can listen to and/or download a copy of the call.

This service greatly reduces the number of webpage you have to create to support a teleclass.  The host web interface is very user-friendly and simple to use.

You can try out Instant Teleseminar for $1 for 21 days.  If you don't cancel during that time, you will then be billed at $47 per month for the service.

Host your teleseminars  here.

7 Steps to a Money-Making Brand featuring OnlineBizU's Branding Expert, Samantha Hartley

7 Steps to a Money-Making Brand featuring OnlineBizU's Branding Expert, Samantha Hartley

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 2 PM Eastern

(F-R-E-E for members of OnlineBizU.com.  Not a member?  Join here.)

Too many clients, too much profit and too much joy in your business? It's rarely the complaint I hear. More likely, you're fed up with your marketing because people just don't get it.  If you struggle to....

• Differentiate yourself from your competitors
• Explain an unfamiliar service or product to your prospects
• Attract the RIGHT clients consistently, or
• Charge the prices you're worth ...

....then this teleclass is for you!

Participants will learn:

• Signs and symptoms that your brand needs help
• The 7 steps you need to take to create a compelling, profitable brand
• Why even one-person businesses need a REAL brand
• Why branding yourself is actually quite difficult to do on your own
• How elated, euphoric, relieved and fulfilled you can feel when you finally are clear on your brand!

Samantha Hartley of Enlightened Marketing works with successful, socially responsible small businesses that still experience peaks and valleys in their income. She helps them to increase sales without selling out. Samantha specializes in helping her clients identify and communicate their brand value so effectively that they work only with perfect customers, charge premium prices and enjoy healthy profits. As a result, they become more joyful business owners!  Samantha has helped hundreds of small businesses in the US and abroad to develop brands and marketing strategies. She offers marketing assistance for budgets of all sizes, including 1:1 consulting projects, home study courses, group mentoring programs, teleseminars and a free ezine.

Easy Business Automation

Imagine being able to automate many of your day-to-day tasks.  What if you could dramatically reduce the time it takes to do certain tasks by using a simple piece of software or online service?  How many daily tasks would you like to put on remote control so they take care of themselves? 

Face it, there are many, many tools and applications available day-to-day to help you automate your business. However, it's not just about automation. It's about auto-piloting so you can free yourself up for profit-generating activities, whether that's creating a new product, marketing your business, or whatever it is that you do best.
 
I have spent lots of time visiting and trying out hundreds of programs and websites because I don't want to spend one more minute doing something manually if I can automate it  -- I just don't have the time.

Now I'll be revealing in detail how I run my business on autopilot.

Join me to find out how YOU can begin applying these key tools and strategies immediately:

• get your articles distributed all over the Internet in as little as 10 minutes
• record compelling client testimonials with just one phone call
• instantly back up all of the files on your computer without even thinking about it
• get found immediately by search engines using this one tool 2-3 times per week
• automate the signups for your email list and stay in touch with them without having to lift a finger
• easily show others exactly what you see on your screen
• see what others are saying about you online
• manage and delegate all the items on your to-do list with just one click

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--> It's My Next "Members Only" Call...

TUESDAY, AFTERNOON, December 16, 2008, 2:00pm Eastern

TOPIC: "20 Must-Have Tools to Automate an Online Business " with yours truly, Donna Gunter

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This call is FR*EE for the members of OnlineBizU.com. Members also get a comprehensive study guide and mp3 recording of this call at no extra charge, and other surprises too -- including access to tools, guides, and downloads to help them create and manage a successful business that helps them live a wealthy life.

Not a member? Then join OnlineBizU.com today so you can take advantage of this call and all the other member goodies each and every month.

Please join me Tuesday afternoon for an enlightening call on this unique topic! Get immediate access to all the info you need to market your business online here.

Call-in details and link to the study guide will be provided in the OnlineBizU.com forum.

Create Passive Revenue with a Profitable Subscription Membership Website Teleclass

Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 2 PM Eastern

(F-R-E-E for members of OnlineBizU.com.  Join here.)

Everyone seems to have a membership website today of one sort or another. Subscription membership website provide an excellent opportunity create a passive revenue stream in your business, even during times of economic downturns. However, some membership sites are much more successful than others. What does it take to run a successful subscription membership website?

In this teleclass, you'll learn:

• Membership sites demystified
• Why you should create your own membership website
• The one secret that is VITAL for success when starting a membership site
• How to test and choose the right topic
• 3 kinds of membership sites to consider
• 10 types of content for your site
• Quick overview of various membership site software
• Secret add-on needed on your site for explosive growth

Want to sign up for the class?  It's easy -- just join OnlineBizU.com here.  Membership costs about $.55 per day -- less than a cup of coffee!

Upcoming Events: List Building Secrets: 15 Effective Ways to Skyrocket Your List Size, Today!

Tuesday, Sept. 16
(F-R-E-E for members of OnlineBizU.com.  Join here.)

You're wearing many hats as an online business owner -- marketing department head, chief financial officer, administrative assistant, website copywriter...the list goes on and on.  Most of your time is probably spent working 1:1 with clients, and you may have given little thought to developing a marketing list.  Yet, you've heard it said time and time again that, "the money is in the list."

In fact, the most important asset in your online business is your list.  However, the quality of the subscribers in your list is actually more important than the quantity(number) of subscribers on your list.  A big list isn't valuable unless it contains subscribers who are in your target market and who are interested in what you have to offer.  It's a challenge to determine how to attract quality subscribers to your site, convince them to opt into your list, and find a way to automate the process so that you don't have yet another to-do added to your very long list.

In this teleclass, you'll learn:

--Why bigger isn't always better
--The two most critical questions you must be able to answer before building your list
--The secret strategy that will result in hordes of visitors opting in to your list
--The 3 mandatory tools you must have to help you automate the process
--The 5 essential elements to get visitors to opt-in, every time
--15 most effective ways to begin to grow your list
--Next steps to take

Need a speaker? Know of a group who needs a speaker? My schedule fills quickly, so  contact me today to get your preferred date!

Online Marketing to Prospects: 6 Secrets to Ensure Your Prospect Well Never Runs Dry

by Donna Gunter, The Online Biz Resource Queen (TM)

Many service business owners, once they become busy working with current clients, no longer make the time to market their businesses.  It's only when business has dropped off (and the well is starting to run dry) that they frantically begin marketing their businesses again, anxious to fill in the gaps.  When they speak to prospective clients, the prospects can hear the desperation in their voice are thus unlikely to hire them.  Frustrated by rejection, the business owner is off again, desperately seeking more clients.  Does this describe your marketing pattern?  If so, you're not alone.

More than 50% of service business owners experience this feast or famine scenario.  What if you could create an environment so that the well never ran dry and would permit you to continuously market and promote your business?  There is another way to keep yourself supplied with an eagerly waiting list of prospects with whom you can work when you have the time and space in your business. Often referred to as ?drip marketing,? this strategy is defined by a deliberate, planned and sequenced system of deploying marketing messages over a period of time. In many cases, drip marketing is conducted through direct mail, but the Internet entrepreneur can create her own drip marketing campaign as well.

Here are 6 secrets you can use to create your online drip marketing campaign and keep prospects in your pipeline:

1.  Client attraction device.  The best way to get prospects into your marketing funnel is to give away something that would compel them to part with their name and email address and join your list.  Often called an "ethical bribe", your client attraction device must answer a pressing problem experienced by your target market.  You can format this information into an ebook, special report, ecourse, audio recording, video, or some combination of all of these.

2.  Newsletter:  Whether you choose to publish a hard copy newsletter that's directly mailed to your prospects or an email newsletter that is emailed on a regular schedule to your list, your newsletter is the best "stay in touch" device that you have.  Regular publication of an email newsletter (weekly is most effective) will enable your prospects to get to know, like and trust you and have you be top of mind when they are ready to solve the pressing problems that fall within your line of expertise.

3.  Blog.  Business blogging has become more popular than ever.  Blogs use RSS feed technology to immediate get new posts and updates out to your blog subscribers through a feed reader, Unlike ezines or traditional websites, search engines index blog posts almost immediately, which help you generate traffic to your website.  You need to post 2-3 times per week to keep your readers interested and coming back.

4.  Article marketing.  One of the best ways to generate traffic to your site or to your blog is to regular write and publish high quality articles that demonstrate your expertise.  In addition to placing these articles on your website and blog, you'll want to get them distributed throughout the Internet on high traffic article directories.  Ezine publishers, reporters, print media editors, and bloggers all frequent article directories in search of quality content to present to their readers. You can manually submit your articles, or use the service I use, GetMoreClientsArticles.com.

5.  Social networking.  If you don't yet have accounts on the two most popular social networking platforms, Facebook and Twitter, today is the day to hop on board.  Business owners are getting prospects on their lists and making sales every day to people they met exclusively through social networking.  Best of all, these strategies are fr*ee of charge!

6.  Public speaking/teleclasses.  What better way to wow prospects than for them to hear you speak at an organizational meeting or on a teleclass?  Speaking locally to groups comprised of your target market or holding teleclasses are very effective ways to build your list and increase the number of prospective clients.  Design a signature speech or teleseminar that demonstrates your knowledge and expertise without giving away the store (focus on the what and the why but not the how) that compels your listeners to visit your website or request your client attraction device and get on your list.

Don't become overwhelmed and try all of these strategies at once.  Pick one that you find appealing and work at it for 3 months.  If you discover that you don't enjoy it or that it's not working for you, try another one.  Continue to slowly add more drip marketing strategies until the process is firmly ingrained in your day-to-day business practices. Ultimately, you'll create a list of prospects who are ready, waiting, and eager to hire you.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To claim your FR*EE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at OnlineBizU.com. Ask Donna an Internet Marketing question at  AskDonnaGunter.com.

BSETC Summer Speaker Series

My virtual assistant and colleague, Erin Blaskie, is hosting the first annual Summer Speaker Series featuring an amazing line-up of speakers including James Roche, Christina Merkley, Sheri McConnell, Alexis Neely, Allana Pratt, Lou Bortone, Viki Viertel, Lynn Scheurell, Kathie Thomas, Debbie LaChusa, Wendy Weiss, Terri Z, Donna Gunter (yours truly!), Diana Ennen and so, so, so many more.

Here's the deal... She's featuring TWO speakers PER DAY for the entire month of August (not including weekends because really, who likes working weekends?)

The best part is that this amazing series of speakers is priced VERY affordably.  It's going to be one of the hottest events of the summer and you've got an invitation from me!

Simply click through this link and register today.  You'll love it, and I'll be there to speak as well!

You can purchase a seat in one track, two tracks or get audio downloads included too (along with your live seat). I've heard there is a cap of 200 people due to the bridge line and with the speakers involved, that won't last long!

Visit SummerSpeakerSeries.com and register now... "see" you on the calls!

Teleclass Marketing: 5 Secrets to Selling More Teleclasses with Transcripts

by Donna Gunter, The Online Biz Resource Queen (TM)

While iPods and other mp3 players have taken the world by storm, I'm still a visual girl.  For me, that means I'd much rather read something than listen to it.  If it's a video of a software or service demo, I might be persuaded to view that, if I have the time and if I have no other choice.  For the most part, I'd rather read about it.  I have tons of audio files stored on my hard drive, to most of which I've never listened.  They'll probably languish away on my computer, only to be deleted one day when I've forgotten why I downloaded them in the first place.

However, the ones I have "listened to" are the ones which also offered a written PDF transcript.  Okay, so it's cheating a bit to say that I've "listened" to them, but those files that came with transcripts got my attention much more quickly than those without.

I realize that I'm in the minority here.  The audio and video methods of conveying information online are here to stay, and the majority of Internet users like and prefer those methods to reading.  Studies also indicate that when an online business owner adds audio or video to a site, traffic and conversion rates increase dramatically.

The written word, however, is far from dead.  I'm discovering that there are more and more people who prefer to learn by reading (or maybe we just attract one another).  If you offer teleclasses or webinars as a part of your business model, here are 5 reasons you should offer transcripts with your teleclass recordings:

1.  Multiple Learning Styles.  As previously established, offering both an auditory version and a written version of teleclass content appeals to both kind of learners.  Granted, transcribing can be tedious if you're doing it yourself.  However, most one-hour teleclasses can be transcribed for about $100 USD. If this investment resulted in a 30% increase in your conversion rate or download rate, it would be a worthwhile investment, don't you think?

2.  Printable Format.  Unlike audio files, which require some type of device to play them, PDF transcripts can be printed and carried with you.  So, if your portable device battery dies or if you're in a situation where electronic devices aren't permitted, you can get the information that you need from the printed transcript instead.  Call me hopelessly out-of-date, but I even print out and bind larger (greater than 100 pages) PDF ebooks if I believe they are something to which I'll continually refer.  I still prefer to go to my office bookcase and pick up a resource rather than search for my copy of the same resources in my computer files.  I've had my readers tell me that they regularly print the PDF files they buy from me and refer to them constantly.  Perhaps your readers will do the same?

3.  Upsell New Products.  Transcripts, unlike audio files, offer the opportunity to upsell your reader to new products or services.  In the transcript, you can add several pages that serve as a sales letter for a new product, or include an order form that is similar to one that appears on your site.  You can easily update the offer in the future by inserting new pages.

4.  Immediate Gratification. If your reader is viewing the electronic version of your transcript, she can immediately click on the hyperlinks you include and see the sites to which you refer in the teleclass.  The mp3 listener, on the other hand, may not have Internet access at the time she's listening to the audio file, and consequently has to write down the URLs mentioned and then view them when she's back online.  I've lost more slips of paper in this situation than I care to remember, which is yet another reason that having a transcript appeals to my learning style so much.

5. Second Profit Center.  If you're selling the audio of a teleclass or webinar,  you can offer the transcript as an add-on to the price of the teleclass for an additional fee. I constantly see online entrepreneurs offering a teleclass for $29 and then permitting the buyer to add a PDF transcript for just $10 more.  This method offers visitors a choice and appeals to a wider variety of buyers than offering only one option might.

Teleclasses and webinars are a profitable way to boost your online business.  Add transcripts to your offerings, and see your profits increase even more!

Want to see the template I use to format my transcripts?  You can, if you're a member at OnlineBizU.com. Get your template here.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Online Business Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To claim your FR*EE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at OnlineBizU.com. Ask Donna an Internet Marketing question at AskDonnaGunter.com.

Internet Marketing Tuesday

Here's the registration info for the next Internet Marketing Tuesday teleclass:

Topic:  How to Find Your Target Market:  6 Steps to More Clients (and More Profits) Than You Ever Imagined
Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Time: 2 PM Eastern

Cost:  Fr*ee

Description:  Are you fishing where the fish are? That's the best way to stay in business, but many business owners are fishing (looking for their target market) in all the wrong places. Worse yet is the business owner whose target market is "everybody who will pay me". When you target everyone, it's just too hard to focus on anyone, and consequently you attract no one. The reality is that not everyone needs your product or service, nor is it a good match for every single person on this earth.

One of the most terrifying decisions you will make as a business owner is the decision to choose a target market. Why? Because you're scared of excluding people and missing out on opportunities. However, the more focused you are in your marketing efforts and the better you understand and can define your target market, the easier your marketing becomes. Really!  In order to be successful, your goal must be to exclude as many people from your business as possible. When you are successful at this, the "right" people (your target market) will recognize themselves instantly and be much more willing and open to begin to like, know and trust you, and ultimately turn into a paying customer.

In this teleclass, you will learn:

• The reason that a narrowly focused target market will bring you MORE of what you want

• The best method for uncovering your target market when you don't have a clue

• 10 essential questions to ask your target market

• 3 "make it or break" considerations for you to pick a target market

• How to create a target market profile that you'll use every day in everything that you do

• 8 essential online resources to help you "reach out and touch" your target market

• Next steps to take

To Register: Register here.