Internet Marketing Tips from Denise Wakeman

2 Resources for Creating a Business Plan

If you're planning on starting a new business or expanding your current business, whether you're thinking big business or solo professional, you need a business plan. There's a book that's getting a lot of buzz even though it was published in 2003.

I haven't read it yet, but Ed Rogoff's book Bankable Business Plans professes to be

"the only book on the market that demonstrates how to make each business plan uniquely suited to every endeavor. It is also the only book which explains how to employ the guidelines that banks, venture capital firms and the Small Business Administration use to grant loans and other financial support to businesses."

Another option is a class that's starting next week through TeleDevelop.com.

How to Write an Effective Business Plan in Just 21 Days That Gets Results
Led by Alyse Parise, Certified Corporate Business Coach
4 Tuesdays, March 29 - April 19, 2005
8:30 PM EST
1 hour 15 minutes
$39.00

The 21 Day Business Plan is a step-by-step guide with simple steps and support to show you how to plan and write your business plan. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners don't know where to begin, or have begun the process only to abandon their efforts.

You will get:

• The 21 Day Business Plan e-book ($79.95 Value)
• 21 Day Automated Coaching E-mails that will help you pace your planning
• 5 hours of Live Interactive Tele-Class - The class will be recorded if you cannot attend.

Register at TeleDevelop.com

I do have experience with the above program and with the facilitator, Alyse Parise. She's a dynamite teacher and the program is comprehensive if you're looking for a guide to creating a business plan.

More on Marketing with Ezines

I've been reading The Ezine Queen's new special report on “101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a MASSIVE EMAIL LIST" and there are some gems.  The Ezine Queen takes you through step by step to identify the purpose of your ezine, how to plan for growth, and then gets to the meat.

See the step-by-step plan she’s put together for YOU.

Basically, having a great ezine is only half the battle. It doesn't matter, if only a few people read your articles. You must get the word out, and grow your database list. In today's overcrowded inboxes, with all the spam out there, it isn't easy to grow your list.

In addition to the tried and true methods that you've no doubt heard before, some tips include (I'm not going to give them all away):  setting up a separate web page or website for your ezine to promote it; use an audio invitation to get people to subscribe; start a discussion list that complements your ezine...and many, many more.  I got some great new ideas that I'll be implementing soon.

So, don't skip these steps. First step: buy this book. Next, read it. Next, do at least three of these list-growing strategies.

With this book you can build your email list even if you use only a few of the tactics.

Want a way to get around the ezine database problem? Try a blog! You will still have to drive people over to read your articles, but there are ways to do that too. Learn more about blogs at Build A Better Blog System.

Ezine or Blog? How do you reach your readers?

There's an interesting debate brewing about the best way to publish your content and get it to your readers.  Ezines have been around for years and have proven to be a great way to reach your network.  Now there are blogs and RSS feeds.

What's a professional to do to get the word out?  Just read an interesting article on Debbie Weil's blog, BlogWrite for CEOs, 

Dirty secret of publishing a blog vs. an HTML e-newsletter

In my humble opinion, I recommend both, for now.  Blogs and RSS feeds are still too new for most people to understand how they work.  Many of your clients and prospects still want to get your news in an ezine delivered to their email box.

You can get an article my colleague Patsi Krakoff and I wrote about why you need to do an ezine AND a blog.  Then decide for yourself. 

Are your current marketing efforts getting you the results you want?  If not, you may need to look into implementing another tactic or two.

G-Mail may be going public soon

An article today on Forbes.com reveals that G-Mail, Google's web based email system, may be going public soon.  To date, you have only been able to get Gmail accounts by invitation.  The article is a good overview of why Gmail is an excellent way to manage your email and get huge storage space.

If you can't wait for a Gmail account, I have 50 to give away.  Post a comment with your name and email address and I'll send you an invite.

Shaving the Yak: More on Organization

I was pointed to an excellent post on Seth Godin's blog by a post on BL Ochman's fine blog.

Don't Shave That Yak!

"Yak Shaving is the last step of a series of steps that occurs when you find something you need to do. "I want to wax the car today."...

And the next thing you know, you're at the zoo, shaving a yak, all so you can wax your car.

You've got to read what's inbetween. This is what happens when you set off to accomplish one task and end up distracted doing many others all in the name of getting things done.

How do you stay focused, on track and productive?  Share your tips by posting a comment below.