Excellent Ezine resource

I just came across an excellent Ezine directory. It is operated by Christopher Knight who is definitely one of the most brilliant minds you will find on the Internet. Check out http://BestEzines.com/ Another excellent resource of Mr. Knight is http://www.emailuniverse.com

Here's the posting on Best Ezines for Street Smarts Marketing Ezine:

Street Smarts Marketing
Street Smarts newsletter is designed for people who want high visibility in their market through proven cost effective, high return marketing and promotions strategies. Learn from Kathleen Gage, recognized as one of the top business owners for 2004 in Utah.

Ezine Subscription Info: http://www.kathleengage.com

If your not subscribed to my Ezine, I would invite you to do so.

Kathleen Gage
Street Smarts Marketing and Promotions

November Street Smarts Ezine is ready

Your November Street Smarts Marketing Newsletter is available at http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsnovember2005.htm

This month I am excited to bring you a great article by world-renowned business expert, Harvey Mackay - Salesmanship Starts When the Customer Says No. Mr. Mackay is the author of several best selling books including, - Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive - and - Pushing the Envelope All the Way to the Top. His article is a must read if you are in sales, marketing, own your own business or run a company.

Street Smarts Marketing and PR Newsletter contains success formulas, tips and strategies for retailers, sales professionals, consultants, authors, speakers, events coordinators, nonprofits and much more.

It's going better than expected

When I decided to offer my Street Smarts Making Money with the Internet eBook along with thousands of dollars worth of bonuses, I was pretty sure I would do well on sales. Not only have I done well, I have exceeded my own expectations. Lots of people have taken advantage of the special offer.

For less than the price of a dinner for two you can increase your leads, gain more prospects, sell more and increase your revenues like never before.

http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/Streetsmartsinternetppp.htm

Take full advantage of all the great bonuses while they are available.

Kathleen Gage

Great marketing program offer

Proven strategies to increase leads, sales, site visits and revenues.

For the next 72 hours you can access a very popular marketing program and get over 30 downloadable bonus products worth over $1,925 from experts from around the globe absolutely FR*EE when you order. Plus the first 96 people to order will get a FR*EE one hour teleconference with marketing expert, Kathleen Gage.

This is something you don’t want to miss.

Go here for more info:
http://knkayla.streets.hop.clickbank.net

Order now and get over 30 bonuses! The offer and full list of incredible bonuses is at this link: http://knkayla.streets.hop.clickbank.net

Look for some exciting news

In less than two weeks I will be introducing an incredible opportunity to my market. I am joining forces with some dynamite business experts around the globe. You will have an opportunity to learn from some of the very best.

Kathleen Gage
www.kathleengage.com

Search engine blog

I just came across an excellent blog with lots of resources for search engine submission sites.

http://www.searchengineblog.com/

Happy search engine submitting.

Kathleen Gage
www.kathleengage.com

Online resources for Press Releases

Free Press Release Submission sites:

http://www.free-press-release.com/

www.prweb.com

http://www.expressseek.com/addpr/addrelease.php

http://www.prleap.com/

http://www.webwire.com/

Where are you marketing?

I have been enjoying the beautiful community of Helena, Montana. It is a wonderful community. The people are some of the friendliest I have had the opportunity to meet.

As I have been getting to know some of the business owners and residents what I notice is how aware everyone is of the power of relationships, both personal and professional.

As change happens at an ever increasing rate, one of the most important things we can rely on are the quality of our relationships.

Today, commit to do what you can to improve the quality of your relationships.

Enjoying various cities

On Saturday, September 24, 2005 I was the featured speaker at a presentation sponsored by District 15 Toastmasters International. The topic was, "Learn How to Become a Professional Speaker." The event was very well attended with eager to learn individuals. The session took place in Salt Lake City.

On Saturday, September, 25th, I flew into Las Vegas to speak at a conference for a company with sales representatives and operations managers attending from througout the United States. The topic for this conference was The New World of Teambuilding. Again, very well attended and a great group of folks.

Today I flew into Helena, Montana to speak at the Women's Leadership Network conference on Tuesday, September 27th. The topic is "Okay Life! What's Next?"

I am having a great week traveling and speaking to hundreds of men and women.

When people ask me how I find these opportunities, I tell them it is a direct result of the amount of effort I put into my marketing, networking, follow up and delivery of outstanding products and services.

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am a firm believer in a holistic approach to one's business. There is no one action that creates success.

Everything is important.

Kathleen
www.kathleengage.com

Ideas you can use

Be Yourself! But Be Good at It
from 101 Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door

Be yourself. If you don’t have a likeable personality, get one or get out of sales!

Joking aside, if you are uncomfortable, it’s guaranteed that your prospects will be. If you aren’t honestly confident about yourself and your products, your customers won’t be either.

You can improve the signals you send and keep self-consciousness to a minimum if you concentrate more on the person you’re talking with and the relationship you’re building than on making the sale.

Also, use every "no" as a learning opportunity. Go back and evaluate what could have been done differently in order to obtain the sale. Learn and grow from your mistakes. A client should have a pleasant time buying from you—it’s your job to ensure that she does.

-Prepare well
-Present well
-Follow up even better

Tired of cold calling? Ready to get your foot in the door of your prospects once and for all? If you answered yes, get your own copy of 101 Ways to Get Your Foot In the Door at www.101waystogetyourfootinthedoor.com

Great resource for client holiday gift giving

It is not too soon to begin thinking about what you are going to give your clients for the holidays. Yet, the pressure of going shopping, picking the right gift, wrapping and shipping can be overwhelming. For a great resource check out www.justbearsandstuff.com

When you call to place your order please let Patricia Twitchell know I recommended you contact her. She is great to work with.

Kathleen Gage

Need content driven articles

I am seeking content driven articles on sales and marketing for my Yahoo Group.

Group name is StreetSmartsMarketing. To sign up and begin posting email a blank message to:

streetsmartsmarketing-subscribe@yahoogrooups.com

You will be sent an invitation to join in your email box.

Articles are one of the best ways to promote you business. Why not start right away.

I will not post advertisements or anything that is not suitable for the general public. You can put a link to your website at the end of the article.

Show your clients you appreciate them

A great way to show your clients and customers you appreciate them is with unique gifts. Check out http://www.justbearsandstuff.com for some fun ideas.

101 No-Cost & Low-Cost Tips to Market A Product, Service or Business.

I am very excited to announce my newest release, 101 No-Cost & Low-Cost Tips to Market A Product, Service or Business.

This idea filled eBook was really fun to write. It is chalked full of ideas and tips on marketing and promotions that can apply to virtually any business. The ideas come from a variety of places; what I have done to market my own business, what I have used to market clients businesses, what others have shared with me that have worked for them.

The book was written knowing people continually want, and need, lots of great ideas that are easy to apply and very cost effective.

It is with this in mind I wrote, 101 No-Cost & Low-Cost Tips to Market A Product, Service or Business.

To read all the details on my newest downloadable eBook. please visit http://www.turningpointpresents.com/101nocostlowoffer.htm.

You probably know by now that I am not one to beat around the bush. Now is no exception. If creative and very affordable methods to market are important to you then you will want to get my newest eBook. It is only $7.95 and you get some really nice bonuses with the purchase. http://www.turningpointpresents.com/101nocostlowoffer.htm

New term

During a recent marketing training in which I was a participant (yes, even as a marketing advisor I participate in training) I heard an interesting term - TARKETING. It is knowing who you are targeting your marketing to.

One thing I see over and over are those people who don't take time to figure out who their specific market is and how to effectively market to that group.

Take time to evaluate your market. You will be glad you did.

Solutions May Surface in the Still of the Night

“Necessity is the mother of invention!” The first time I heard this was nearly twenty years ago when I was introduced to Tony Robbins’ material. I have to admit, the first time I heard this it didn’t quite register.

However, nearly two decades later, it makes all the sense in the world. In fact, a majority of the things we take for granted were created out of a need. When the need became great enough, someone figured out a solution.

Such is the case with a new eBook that just hit the market - Tokens for TV. The idea for this informative book is the brainchild of working mom, Lisa Workman. As she explains it, about a year ago, she and her husband were struggling with how to get their kids to take an interest in choosing how much television and computer time they were spending each day. She came up with a system that not only limited how much TV/Computer time they received, but also took out some of the parental nagging and placed some responsibility on their shoulders. She came up with a simple solution to helping children manage their television and computer time.

Seeing how effective her system is, friends began asking her how it worked. After numerous requests, she wrote down the system and eventually fine tuned it to the point it became her now popular eBook, Tokens for TV.

An exciting aspect of this resource is that the information aligns perfectly with Lisa’s personal and professional vision and mission. She is extremely committed to providing quality information to families while promoting healthy lifestyles for children. However, something Lisa realizes is that without an effective marketing campaign to promote Tokens for TV there are many people who will never know how effective the system can be.

Lisa has put together a very effective campaign which includes full use of her Tokens for TV website, free reports, and article distribution both online and off, interviews with the media and viral marketing. Her marketing plan was developed long before the eBook was taken to market. Without a doubt, she will be successful in getting the word out.

Another excellent example of creative problem solving comes from Jo Capista, DDS, a Pennsylvania based dentist specializing in general and cosmetic dentistry. One of his greatest challenges was positioning his message about his top-notch cosmetic dentistry services to his market. As he analyzed his market and those who would invest in cosmetic dentistry, he knew he had to use unconventional marketing strategies to reach potential patients.

He began offering complimentary public information seminars. He promoted the seminars in neighborhood newspapers and with posters strategically placed throughout his region. The response to his first session was overwhelming. So much in fact he repeated the process several times with incredible results both in name recognition and revenues.

The next step was to do the seminars with other businesses who shared a similar market. Again, the process proved extremely successful. He then decided to invest in a vendor space at a body and bath expo. As with the other strategies, the expo was equally as successful.

I had the opportunity to talk in detail with Dr. Capista about why he feels all of this is working. Simply put, preparation, delivery and follow up. And of course, making sure he is targeting the right market for his services.

Like Lisa Workman and Dr. Capista, countless people have excellent ideas that solve a common problem; solutions that will definitely work. Unlike Lisa and Dr. Capista, they either don’t test their idea or if they do, they get busy with day-to-day activities and lose their focus, thus losing their potential for seeing how successful their idea could have been.

Often, it is in the still of the night, the answers will surface. A simple strategy that will help you to identify a solution you may be able to provide to others is to ask yourself the following question, “What keeps you or your customers awake at night?”

Regardless of the size of a company, it is essential to constantly seek solutions to your customer’s problems. Once you find a solution, take action and commit the time, money and resources to the end result. When your customer is looking for a solution, who do you want them to go to – your or your competition?

Current issue of Ezine available

The current issue of Street Smarts Marketing Ezine is now available at http://www.turningpointpresents.com/newsletters/enewsjuly2005.htm

Tradeshow Secret

Many people participate in tradeshows, home shows and gift shows as a way of promoting their business. Often, they do not gain full benefit from the investment due to lack of preplanning and follow up.

A tip on preplanning: Get to know show organizers. Most are more than willing to help in any way they can. They want you to succeed because when you succeed, they succeed.

From 101 Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door - www.101waystogetyourfootinthedoor.com

Create Your Vision of Success

Title: Create Your Vision of Success
Author: Kathleen Gage
Email: kathleen@turningpointpresents.com
Word Count: 750
Copyright: © 2005 by Kathleen Gage
Web Address: www.kathleengage.com

Publishing Guidelines: You may publish my article in your newsletter,
on your web site, or in your print publication provided you include
the resource box at the end. Notification would be appreciated but is not required.

Summary – Understanding the power and profit in business that comes from one’s internal perceptions.

Create Your Vision of Success
By Kathleen Gage

Most marketing strategies are about being in motion. Have a plan, be proactive, and take the necessary action steps. Although being proactive is a necessary aspect of marketing, an often overlooked and yet equally important part is your company’s internal perception.

Many companies put a lot of effort into all the external aspects of what they do, yet completely overlook what is happening due to internal perception. Internal perception includes your thoughts and beliefs; the internal dialogues and thought processes you have regarding your business, your industry and your customers/clients. Often, we may not be aware of hidden thoughts. Our thoughts support or hinder our success.

To find out how what you believe take this simple test. For the next 48 hours notice what comes up when you are talking about your company, your products and services and the value you bring to the table. Do your internal thoughts match your words? Do you feel good about your interactions? Do you feel the prices you charge are fair and reasonable? Do you believe you are worth what you ask? Do you feel you are the best choice for your customers?

You can invest lots of money and time on external campaigns. Your true success will be determined when your thoughts and beliefs match your actions. Before you launch your next marketing campaign, ask yourself these important questions:
-How do you feel about your product or service?
-Do you feel the price you charge is matches the value your product/service -brings to your customers?
-Do you appreciate your clients?
-Do you feel appreciated by your customers or clients?
-Who do you want to do business with?
-Who wants to do business with you?
Whether you are in financial planning, training, banking, the beauty industry, day spas, or technology, take the time to know what sets you apart. In the consumer’s mind, Company A looks the same as Company B in many ways. The same with Salesperson A compared to Salesperson B. To stand apart your must help the consumer understand your differences.

A simple formula to clarify your differences is to write down every reason someone would want to do business with you.
-Are you an expert in your industry?
-Do you deliver in record time?
-Do you have a unique location?
-What is unique about your business compared to your competitors?
-What is most important to your prospects and customers about doing business with you? (If you don’t know – ASK!) -What can only you do that your competitors can’t do?

Once you answer these questions, create a short message that incorporates these answers. When you meet with a potential customer and they ask what you do, you want to be able to concisely tell them. This process is also helpful with your current clients. Remember - they are only one call away from utilizing the services of someone else!

Before you begin to aggressively position yourself and gain visibility, think about the vision for you and your organization. Gaining a vision of what the organization stands for, the impact you want to have on your customers or clients, the quality of products and services, your contribution to your community, and where you want the organization to be in the future is essential as you move forward.

Your vision is your ideal future state and includes your values and what you desire your organization to be like. What’s most important to you?

An essential aspect of your vision is understanding what makes you, your company and your team unique in the marketplace. What makes your product or service different from your competitors? Once you have your vision in mind, write it down. This will help you to solidify your thoughts and stay on track with what is truly important.
Periodically revisit your overall vision. Your core values should be the main driver of your vision, yet some of the details are bound to change. As you and your customer’s needs and wants change, you may find it necessary to update your vision.

Where do you want your company to be? Where do you want to be? Match your actions with your thoughts and beliefs. Create a vision for success!

Kathleen Gage is a keynote speaker, author and business advisor specializing in marketing and promotions. Access Gage’s’s FREE eBook Street Smarts Marketing On the Internet at http://www.streetsmartsmarketing.com/free-ebook.htm

Selling promotional items.

"Selling promotional products is a world unto itself." This according to businessman and author Randy Kirk, whose career includes sales of products and services in over 30 industries.

"In most businesses, you pitch the quality and the utility. When it comes to promotional products, your selling the glitz or the fun or the space available for a logo." That's not the only difference according to Kirk.

"Every sale is starting over. The customer may have used hats last year, so now she wants to use anything but hats. Or if she does want hats, she's going to put the purchase out to bid."Kirk has a blog, http://www.advertisingspecialty.blogspot.com that gives totally free ideas on selling, prospecting, and other aspects of the promotional salesperson's life.

From time-to-time there is a commercial for his product line which can be viewed at http://www.californiasprings.com. He explains, "This blog is just for teaching and coaching. Hopefully, some will find it to be a good resource for their careers."