How to Get Your Marketing Mojo Working for You

Having worked with thousands of creative women entrepreneurs over the years, I see the common trend: you fall into the “safe marketing” place. Doing what everyone else is doing, using the same descriptor words, offering the same types of products and programs…and then wondering why your marketing efforts aren’t paying off with client interest and joint venture opportunities.

Turn your marketing around with these three Marketing Mojo perspectives.

1. What is your Movement? People don’t want to be marketed “to” or “at” anymore. Their days are too busy – they want to be moved. They want stories, passions, reasons to take action. They want hope and solutions presented to them that will change their routines and better their worlds in some way – whether it’s because they’ll change their habits, they’ll heal, they’ll laugh, they’ll be entertained, or they’ll achieve their dreams.

You have to step into your confidence about your passion and create more than a marketing strategy. Create marketing that moves people. They want to work with you or make a purchase from you because they are so engaged, your message is so compelling. They will read your ad or sales page, and they won’t be able to stop thinking about it – or talking about it.

Your movement comes from your own passion – either what has brought you pain or what brings you joy. A mother on my tennis team couldn’t find bottles and sippy cups that were “plastic safe,” so she created them herself. She is passionate about it, knowing that other moms are looking for these too. She is daring to put her passion into a product and sharing it with others too.

2. Give Them A Reason To Care. The world has changed and is continuing to move fast. In our information-drenched world, you have to capture your potential customers’ attention and give them a reason to read what you’ve written, to listen to your teleclass (one of hundreds that is sitting in their inbox) or your pre-recorded audio (where they had good intentions when they signed up, but now they’ve forgotten why they want to take the time to listen – not to mention it’s gotten buried down the list of emails in their inbox), or take the time to watch yet another video on YouTube.

The world wants to hear messages that resonate with authenticity and integrity. Dare to step up and speak your truth about your passionate area of expertise and call people forward to take action on what really matters to them.

3. Find Your Authentic Marketing Style. Let’s face it, not every one is cut out to be Oprah. Having a successful business isn’t about being someone else. The real secret is to know yourself and use that for maximum impact in your marketing. If you are an amazing writer, then ezines and blogging are perfect for you. If you have a great voice, then try audios, an Internet radio show, or a podcast to get your movement out into the world. If you look appealing on camera and communicate well visually, then let your message loose in video. Don’t try to do what doesn’t come naturally to you…lean into your Authentic Marketing Style. People will love it! When they love it, they’ll pay attention. They’ll be moved to share it. And they’ll be moved to buy what you are offering.

Your Work:

Dare to let loose your passion. Create a movement. Go deep. Be truthful. Speak from your heart. Focus on the marketing vehicle that feels right to you and do it well…so well that people talk about it!

Enjoy,

Laura

Laura West is an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of The Center for Joyful Business.

Meet Vanessa Brown- Blogger, Internet Marketer, and Entrepreneur

It’s been a pleasure to watch Startup Princess Vanessa Brown of our Salt Lake City Chapter grow and develop her multiple businesses-  INeverGrewUp.net (blog), MomsMakeMoneyBlogging.com (membership site to learn to make money with a blog), and AKickIntheBuzz.com (social media marketing company). Vanessa’s organized, resourceful, innovative, and inspiring– a true bootstrapping, “get it done” business owner who demonstrates that it’s possible to make money doing what you love. If you’re on Twitter be sure to follow Vanessa @inevergrewup

Enjoy getting to know Vanessa!

Hometown: Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Texas, Arizona, Utah (we moved quite a bit)

Current Residence (City, State): Salt Lake City, Utah

Education: ‘The School of Hard Knocks‘

Professional Background: I have the cliched resume of dead end, no-brainer jobs, sprinkled in with a few nanny jobs that I loved.  Everything changed when I started working for myself and since that has happened I’ve been a writer, blogger, marketer, and consultant helping to promote my own products and those of local businesses.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Two years ago after having my second daughter I was starting to feel very stuck and empty inside. For my 5^th wedding anniversary my husband bought me two years of website hosting fees and told me I should write about something I love, which is what INeverGrewUp.net is. That is when I found the blogging world and soon knew that this was it! Nine months later after learning the social media world I put together for a few good friends (the owners of the restaurant Blue Lemon) a blogger event and signed them up for Twitter, the reponse was huge. My name for social media marketing spread like wildfire so I started my own company, AKickIntheBuzz.com. About six months ago emails, facebook messages, voicemails, neighbors popping by asking me how to start a blog and make money with is started pouring in everyday. Three months ago I launched my MomsMakeMoneyBlogging.com online membership site where I teach women through a seven month program how to make money with their blogs.

What inspired you? My husband.  When my daughter was born he decided to make his career dreams come true by starting his own business and he did it successfully. He helped me to realize my potential and how to be successful with it.

How did you fund it? My only cost was the design of the sites (averaging $100 each) and my $4.95 monthly hosting fee! I have never spent any money on marketing and have not needed to spend big bucks and instead have been doing things like press releases to gain free press, link building in many different ways, by word of mouth, affiliate programs, article marketing, etc.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? I am still looking for “my mentor” although I have a great group of fellow blogging friends that I learn from and bounce ideas off of.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? Startup Princess and luckily I meet a lot of Utah business owners through my husband’s line of work.

Current Business Challenge? How to continue to get my name out there for my online membership site, MomsMakeMoneyBlogging.com where I teach my members how to make money through their blogs. My membership numbers are growing every month but I am looking for it to grow quite a bit more!

What are you doing about it? I started an affiliate program that has been quite profitable for the affiliates but also in gaining more leads. I have a button they put on their site with certain coding that gives them 50% of the sale per month that I get off of every lead. So it is very profitable for both of us.

Favorite motivational quote: “You’ll wish you would have tried harder when you realize who you really are.” –Henry B. Eyring

Family? Husband, two daughters (two and three) and two dogs!

If so, how do you balance family and business? Recently my husband and I decided that he would take off Mondays from work so I could spend the whole day working. Every other Tuesday my mother helps me with my girls so I can meet with clients. Then I spend 2-4 hours per day Tuesday – Friday working on whatever I did not finish. I am quite a stickler with my schedule, swear by time mapping my week and when I don’t the whole family suffers! When I am with my girls, I don’t do work, I just enjoy them and I love it.

Favorite book? Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

What do you do to relax? Reading, wasting time on Facebook and Twitter, cooking with my family, hiking with my girls, we try to be outside most of the day.

What do you want to change most about your world? I want to become more financially stable, we are a self employed family and even though we have been so blessed I would love to feel more stable. We are working towards owning a house in Spain soon and living there three months out of every year.

What are you most proud of? That I am more and more getting over my fear of meeting new people, speaking in public and that I have created three successful companies in the past two years.

What advice would you like to offer other Startup Princesses? Believe in yourself, believe in what you can become, take a deep breath and put yourself out there. Don’t hold back, don’t live a life where you “wish” you had done this or that.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? The book Time Management from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule and Your Life by Julie Morgenstern. It is a must read and will be such a huge help to you.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? It would have none, it would be even more simple than my thin fake silver wedding band but even more beautiful. It would be made out of the things my girls and I use to make “fairy houses” up in the mountains; twigs, wild flowers and pinecones.

Introducing Melinda Knight

Name: Melinda Knight

Hometown: Kingston, WA

Current Residence: Edmonds, WA

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design with a Minor in Recreation Management from Central Washington University

Professional Background: After college I worked at a small advertising, marketing and design firm in downtown Seattle for a number of years where I developed my graphic design skills and learned how to run a business from the inside out. I was lured away by higher pay and benefits to two large construction firms as a marketing coordinator spending a couple of years at each. Experiencing high pressure and frustration and wanting to start a family fed my desire to vacate the corporate world and establish a home design company and work for myself. I still have this company, but don’t have a lot of time for it.  Two years ago I started another business with my husband where we staff safety professionals on various construction sites across the nation.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: You know, I was a late bloomer, so I’m not sure if I knew or dreamed about what I was going to be when I grew up.  I’ve always had a love of animals, so I know I talked about being a Zoologist.

What you are: A sleep deprived, entrepreneurial mom running three businesses and a household.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Womentorz is an online marketplace similar to Ebay and Etsy where women inventors sell their products directly to the consumer.  Each inventor has their store front where they can feature their invention in user friendly shopping environment.  Womentorz will give members the marketing and exposure their products deserve.

Company Website: www.womentorz.com

What inspired you: I conceived and developed and invention to the prototype stage, which was a laptop tray that attaches to a recumbent bike that I dubbed the “AttachaTray”. I took my invention to a casting call for a show being produced by Kelly Ripa on TLC in Chicago.  Even though I didn’t make it on the show, I met hundreds of amazing women with fabulous inventions who all had one common problem….no way to get their product to market.  I came up with the idea of Womentorz shortly after returning from Chicago.

How long have you been in business? I started the business in July of 2009, but the actual site has been in soft launch mode since November 1st with the official launch date being December 1st.

How did you fund it? I used money from our other businesses as well as a line of credit.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? Right now I would say my father is my mentor due to his extensive business background.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? I belong to the Chamber of Commerce, Twitter Moms, Inventor Forum, and Ladies Who Launch.

Current Business Challenge? I find that keeping up with the daily demands of running a business is the most challenging aspect of my life.  I have a self-imposed policy in my personal and professional life that I respond to people within 24 hours no matter who it is or what issue is involved.

What are you doing about it? I stay very organized.  I have lists for everything, which I continually update throughout the day.

Favorite motivational quote: “When God closes the door somehow he opens a window” Julie Andrews, Sound of Music

Family? I’ve been married for over nine years to Brent a very supportive husband with two children, Payton age five and Rylie age two.

If so, how do you balance family and business? Balancing this isn’t easy and I often feel that I’m depriving my family. When my five year old is in school I can usually be found working with my two year old at my side on the couch.  I often get up in the wee hours it being my most productive time.

Favorite book? 25 Things You Can Do Right Now To Reduce Stress

What do you do to relax? I go on long walks with my iPod, a small pad of paper and a pen to write down ideas.

What do you want to change most about your world? I would love to kick the economy into gear.  It has caused a great deal of stress on everyone.

What are you most proud of? The women inventors on the site that understand what Womentorz represents.  They are so talented, driven and supportive of one another.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? Believe in yourself and your business.  If you believe in your product it translates to others and visa versa.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? My favorite tools are the internet and social media outlets.  At times, however, I miss talking to a live voice, but they are definitely the tools I use the most.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? I would add pearls because of the process the oyster must go through to form a pearl is similar to that which someone goes through to form a business.