What’s on the iPod: Don’t Stop by Foster the People
Slow start this morning. With tomorrow being a holiday, I’m feeling like gearing down a bit, taking more time to meet my own needs, and maybe just taking time to breathe. June was one busy month. But the mint juleps are mixed in the fridge and I’m intending to enjoy a little this evening.
Meantime, I have some much-needed filing and cleaning to do. This study is usually tidy, but with the heavier workload, I was throwing things off to either side of the desk. Time to deal with it. I’ll work a little this morning — my next article is roughed in and I have interviews to go over, plus interviews to schedule for the next article. Then I’m taking it easy. Well, easier. There’s a garden out there that’s been neglected.
Today I leave you with some worthy advice — one of 365, in fact. If you want to pump up your marketing and see more results, this may help:
Worthy Advice #64: Budget for advertising.
Decide today how much of your monthly income will go toward marketing. Even $100 a month to AdWords, or $300 a month to banner ads can make a huge difference in how many people you’re reaching.
Make advertising part of the expense budget and learn how to use online tools to attract more attention to your business.
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Do you advertise? If so, where? How much is your average budget for advertising, and how often do you get word out?
I'm considering taking out an ad in the local paper for the two books, and maybe doing a three month slot on Long & Short romance.
I land most of my business writing gigs through LOIs or direct mail.
This is one of the strategies I haven't done. I'm not sure where to advertise. With Google I believe my little ad would be invisible. I know I don't pay attention to them while I'm surfing the net.
Interesting that you said that, Devon. When my local paper hiked the rates again (second time within a year, I think), they tried to placate subscribers by offering a free ad. (In the want ads, but hey – it's "free" if you don't count I'll spend at least that much more per year if I continue the subscription.) Since I have nothing left worth putting in a garage sale, I was toying with the idea of using it to solicit new business.
I might target Realtors who need help writing property descriptions.
Your garden isn't the only one in need of attention, Lori. With the never-ending heat wave (this week's forecast includes four days off 101-102 degrees and a heat index easily pushing 120), I still haven't gotten around to trimming the huge privet hedge out back. It's too big for me to tackle alone now. And something I fear is poison ivy has infiltrated the large area behind the garage and is now coming through the neighbor's fence (it's a rental, so no one there cares about the yard as long as it's mowed). So this morning I mixed vinegar, a pinch of salt and a few drops of dish soap and sprayed as many of the weeds as I could. The soap is supposed to help keep the salt and vinegar on the leaves. Ever tried that? It's worked on smaller things for me, so I hope it works on this mess.
I've advertised a small banner ad on a website (for 30 days) and I did receive some inquiries. I think I might try it again.