Biz Tips Blog: Online Marketing, Visibility and Business Blogging Tips

Free Images for Your Blog and Website

You can get a list of Top 10 Places to Find Free Images For Your Blogs in an article at About.com.  Of course, you're not limited to using free stock images on your blog...you can use them on your website as well.

Source: Andy Wibbels

Keep in Touch

I received the following tip in my email today from the Institute of Management Consultants:

Do not lose touch with your clients, prospects, and other folks on your database.  You'll definitely get more business if you keep in touch.  A lot more.

Here's a quick rule of thumb from one of our advisers:  Clients - at least weekly.  Prospects - monthly.  Others - quarterly or semi-annually.  Lots of ways to do it, too!  A note about your attendance at a professional/trade show and availability.  How about your trip to Europe?  How about a summary when you get back?  Or a new client?  Or a worthwhile white paper or report you've prepared?

The key - present information, biz opportunity, a "connection," or something newsworthy and worthwhile to the recipient ... geared to demonstrate your expertise and immersion in the field.
P.S.  Never self-serving.  Never soliciting.  Never touting.  Just simply demonstrating ... that's what makes it all acceptable and welcome vs. another "pitch."

Get your own subscription to IMC's Consultants Tip of the Day. See www.imcusa.org

This tip reminded me of the excellent Conversation we had with Denise Kotula a couple of weeks ago about leveraging your network and the power of referrals.  If you missed it, you can get the audio here.

I have to confess that I am not diligent in this aspect of my business and it's something I intend to start focusing on much more.  If you have tips for effective ways to stay in touch with your clients and prospect, please use the comment link to share them with us.

Blog Squad has a New Blog

The Blog Squad has created a new blog to document the ICF Conference in San Jose, CA November 9-12:  Blog Squad Live!.  If you're a coach planning to attend the Conference, or a coach who cannot attend, you'll want to sign up to get updates.

We've invited several blogger coaches to be guest bloggers before, during and after the Conference.  You'll get real-time updates of what's happening, the events, reflections and thoughts about the sessions, maybe even some gossip.  Guest bloggers include:

• Andrea J. Lee
• Barry Zweibel
• C.J. Hayen
• Catherine Bruns
• Dee McCrorey
• Nancy Marmolejo
• Suzanne Falter-Barns
• Sylva Leduc

Be sure to check in daily as we introduce the bloggers and they begin sharing their expertise and thoughts about the Conference.

P.S.  If you're attending the Conference, stop by our booth, #136, to add your comments to the blog!

Building and Running a Profitable Consulting Business

The Common Sense Guy's Advice For Building and Running a Profitable Consulting Business
Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET - FREE
Guest Expert:  Bud Bilanich, BudBilanich.com and CommonSenseGuy.com

Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Guy, has been in business as a solopreneur since 1988.  He is a management consultant, executive coach and keynote speaker.  Bud will share how he coached himself using the ideas in his book "4 Secrets of High Performing Organizations":
• Clarity of purpose and direction
• The sincere Commitment of everyone in the organization
• Skillful Execution of the things that matter
• Mutually beneficial Relationships with important outside
to create a successful and profitable consulting, coaching and speaking business.

Bud will provide specific examples of what he did, how he did it, and answer your questions about how you can build a successful and profitable business.

A management consultant, keynote speaker, executive coach and author specializing in “Common Sense Solutions to Tough Business Problems”, Bud Bilanich's pragmatic approach to business, life, and the business of life has earned him the title The Common Sense Guy, and made him one of the most sought after speakers, consultants and executive coaches in the USA!  Dr. Bilanich’s work focuses on improving the performance of individuals, teams and entire organizations. Bud is Harvard educated, but has a no-nonsense, common sense approach to his work that stretches back to his roots in the steel country of Western Pennsylvania.

Register:  www.ConversationsWithExperts.com

Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.

Reading Business Blogs

Through a series of links and clicks -- I cannot even remember where I started, I just landed on a great article by Hillary Johnson called "Why I Read Business Blogs", on Inc.com.  If there was ever an articulate argument for reading business blogs, whether or not you blog, this writer makes the case.

For me, a woman who didn't graduate from Stanford and doesn't live in Silicon Valley, reading blogs by other entrepreneurs provides unexpected access to a virtual peer group.

This just about says it all.  The opportunities, the information, the access, the partnerships, the ah ha moments, that come from reading and participating in the blogosphere are tremendous.

As soon as I grew comfortable navigating my way through the complexities of the blogosphere, I realized that I was beginning to find my way back to the same places over and over again. I was mingling, networking, unconsciously working the room as if at a cocktail party. An extremely large cocktail party unbounded by either space or time and to which everyone is invited.

And you never know who you're going to meet and where it will lead...