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MarketingIdeaShop BRAINY Tidbits

The ezine with brainy ideas & resources
for marketers & small businesses


This newsletter brought to you each Tuesday by
Lois Carter Fay & The Marketing Idea Shop
http://www.marketingideashop.com
mailto:lcf@marketingideashop.com


Issue 24 - December 2, 2003
Reading time: 10 minutes

Circulation: 537


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PLEASE FORWARD ~~~ WITHOUT CUTTING ~~~
to anyone who can use a few timely marketing
and creativity tips to improve their business.


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IN THIS ISSUE

1. Strategies & Tactics
2. Quote of the Week
3. 101 Marketing Tips: Mission Statement
4. Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers
5. A Little Marketing Fun
6. Smell the Coffee


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1. Strategies & Tactics: What's the Difference?

It's easy to confuse the words strategies and tactics.
Often, people use them interchangeably, but there is a
difference. Your strategy is WHAT you plan to do and your
tactics are HOW you put your strategy into action. It's the
"big picture" versus the "details."

For example, perhaps you are a lawyer specializing in
intellectual property (patents, trademarks, copyrights,
etc.). Your strategy for getting publicity might be to
position yourself as an expert in copyright law. And your
tactics might include writing articles for print and online
publications about the ins and outs of copyrights, creating
a subscription electronic magazine (ezine) that focuses
entirely on copyright law, speaking at events attended by
your clients and prospects, and developing and placing a
radio show about your topic on the local public radio
station.

Or, you might be the owner of a search-engine optimization
(SEO) company with a goal to secure new clients in France
so you and your husband can take working vacations to Paris
each spring. Your strategy for acquiring new clients might
be to become the preferred provider for fashion designers
based in France who sell their designs in New York
boutiques. So your tactics might include:

--> Creating an ebook that discusses SEO techniques for the
fashion industry.

--> Promoting that ebook on a one-page website using
pay-per-click techniques.

--> Writing articles tailored for designers and placing
them in major fashion publications.

--> Researching web design firms servicing the fashion
industry in France and sending personalized email messages
about your services to them.

--> Contacting the IT folks at the specific firms you would
like to have as clients.

--> Creating a free-by-autoresponder audio tutorial
explaining a few techniques about search engine
optimization for the fashion industry with examples that
make it clear you are an expert ... and links to your
ebook, f~ree ezine and website, of course.

To learn more about creating strategies and tactics that
work for your company, pick up a copy of my new ebook,
MARKETING PLAN ESSENTIALS: ONLINE & OFF. And if you are one
of the first 50 to buy it, you will receive 3 f~ree
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And here's more about the ebook ...


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*SPECIAL OFFER~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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--> Over 100 pages, packed with ideas you can use
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--> Over 100 hyperlinks that can take you directly to a
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--> Beginning and advanced tactics to really make a
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--> Great ways to increase your search engine ranking ...
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--> How to work with your peers, competitors and friends to
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--> 11 ways to make your visitors want to come back to your
website and how to get them to buy from you.

--> 2 free or low-cost web survey products that can help
you find out what your customers want so you can improve
your business and sell more products and services.

--> How to find out what your competitors are doing ... for
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business.

--> 9 cool viral marketing campaigns that you can modify
... so you can get everyone talking about you and your
business.

--> And lots more


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Doing an electronic newsletter may seem overwhelming, but
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Here's what Shel Horowitz, author of PRINCIPLED PROFIT:
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GETTING NOTICED IN A NOISY WORLD, and owner of
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PLAN ESSENTIALS: ONLINE & OFF:

"If you want to have a solid business, a solid marketing
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to ask and answer, whether you're just hanging out your
shingle or operating a well-established business in a
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What's stopping you? Go on...click:

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If the link is broken, copy it and paste it into your
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To order offline, call 1-800-203-8660 or 1-540-289-3840.


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2. Quote of the Week

"Sales is a numbers game. The more times you pick up the
phone and make a sales call, the more sales you make."

Don Crawford, Sales & Marketing Manager
Shickel Corporation
http://www.shickel.com


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3. 101 Marketing Tips by Robert Grede

Tip #16: The Mission Statement

More than 9 out of 10 Fortune 500 companies use them, more
than any other management tool. Why? Because the cost is
small and the benefits are many.

Externally, the mission statement serves as a beacon in the
fog. It provides management a focus when they are faced
with uncertainties due to corporate expansion, competitive
pressures, or industry regulations. Internally, it
demonstrates leadership and helps to inspire employees.

Every organization needs a written mission statement,
especially a small business. While the boss may manage the
company intuitively, the mission statement articulates that
intuition and endorses it as company policy. It describes
your company, sets the mood, defines the corporate culture,
and helps perpetuate favorable work methods.

In short, it serves as a guidepost on the road to success.

© 2003 by Robert Grede. Robert Grede is the author of NAKED
MARKETING - THE BARE ESSENTIALS (Prentice Hall) and an
acclaimed speaker. To find out more:
http://www.thegredecompany.com or order his book through
Amazon. Look it up by name under "books":

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/marketingidea-20



*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LEARN MORE~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


For more about mission statements and how to put them to
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4. Resources for Entrepreneurs and Marketers

--> Need to know what words are best to use in your ads and
sales letters? Pick up a copy of WORDS THAT SELL by Richard
Bayan, just $10.47:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/marketingidea-20


--> Get Tom Antion's 7-day Internet Marketing course,
totally f~ree. Learn a few of Tom's money-making ideas
here:

http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?AFID=97748&u=www.antion.com/minicourse.htm



--> Here's a great site with links to f~ree downloads, fun
games, tricks to using Microsoft software better, daily
tips, and more.

http://www.komando.com


--> Wondering what your IQ is? Take this online test to
find out:

http://www.emode.com/tests/uiq/


--> Here's a comprehensive business site with tons of
articles for the newbie and the seasoned entrepreneur:

http://www.allbusiness.com


--> Looking for financing for your business? Need to hire
employees and don't know where to turn? Try Inc. magazine's
tools page:

http://www.inc.com/tools


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5. A Little Marketing Fun


Getting others to forward your marketing message is called
"viral marketing." One way to do that is to create fun
games that people enjoy playing. Here's one from OneSwoop:

http://www.life01.com/promo/oneswoop/containermovie.html


Or how'd you like to enjoy a virtual boyfriend? You can
love him forever...or at least a fortnight (2 weeks). Get a
screensaver and an email and a photo every day. Check it
out here:

http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/boyfriend/


What can you do for your business that makes people want to
forward your website URL or your email?


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6. Smell the Coffee...

...or maybe the turkey. Yes, I did eat turkey. It's hard to
be a vegetarian at Thanksgiving. Our weekend was fun and
relaxing. How was yours?

I'm happy to say we got back safe and sound. But the first
thing I noticed when I opened my bedroom door was my
cat...lying on the bed in my CLOSED bedroom. And I thought,
"Oh, my!" (Actually, I said something a wee bit stronger.)
Anyway, he had spent most of three days in there without
food or a litter box. Luckily, the toilet seat was up so he
had water. And, thankfully, he confined most of his needs
to a washable rug in the bathroom. The rest of the problems
were quickly solved with a little Nature's Miracle ... it
truly is a miracle product. (Thank you Ben Cash for telling
me about it.)

We have much to be thankful for all year long, and right
now I'm thankful that my cat managed to survive his ordeal.



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MORE PRODUCTS

I encourage you to visit the Marketing Idea Shop website
for lots more information. Plus, you'll find a lovely
picture of me there! Remember, we are constantly adding new
products to our store.

http://www.marketingideashop.com



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THE FINE PRINT

THANK YOU!
We appreciate your business.

You are receiving this because you asked to receive it, you
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© Marketing Idea Shop. All rights reserved.
This publication is registered with the
Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
ISSN 1545-035X


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You may reprint any items from "MarketingIdeaShop BRAINY
Tidbits" (except those with a copyright listed from another
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be kind and send us a copy so we can see it in print. Also,
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Reprinted from "MarketingIdeaShop BRAINY Tidbits," a F~REE
ezine from Marketing Idea Shop and Lois Carter Fay
featuring brainy ideas and resources for marketers and
small businesses. Subscribe today at
http://www.marketingideashop.com and receive F~REE by
email "67 Ways to Promote Your Business."


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Published by:
Lois Carter Fay, APR
Founder, Marketing Idea Shop
and President, Strategic Business Partners

Lois Carter Fay is a writing and marketing expert with a
bunch of gray hairs (no, not from worrying...it's just what
comes with experience). Strategic Business Partners is a
marketing consulting firm with ideas and strategies to grow
your business. Marketing Idea Shop is an online resource
for marketers and small businesses.

411 Rainier Road, Massanutten, VA USA 22840
Voice 540.289.3840 or 800.203.8660
lcf@marketingideashop.com
http://www.marketingideashop.com

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