How to Avoid Big Mistakes in Marketing to Women Online
March 12, 2008
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Today’s magical wisdom provided by Fairy Godmother Holly Buchanan, co-author of The Soccer Mom Myth, newly released this week. Congrats to you and Michele Miller for making it to the finish line (or shall we say scoring your goal?) A full review of the book will come soon… reading it while I’m on my treadmill! (not kidding) 
Anyhow, the following article will give you a glimpse of Holly’s work and research. Enjoy! (BTW, Holly, I need a bigger photo of you…sorry it’s so small here).
Women are shopping online in record numbers. The Internet is the perfect fit for women’s increasingly busy lives.
But don’t make the mistake of thinking women shop the same way online as they do offline. Offline, she is much more likely to browse, look around, see what’s new, even socialize with friends.
Online she is task oriented. She does not want to browse for hours. You must make it easy for her to accomplish her goals quickly and easily.
There are specific things you can do to create a better online shopping experience for your female customers. In my e-book, The 7 Biggest Mistakes in Marketing to Women Online, I look at the top mistakes online marketers make and how to fix them. Here are a few of the top mistakes:
#1 - Believing the Lowest Price Always Wins. Some things actually matter more than price. Providing what she feels is a good value is always important. But she may pay more to find something that is just right.
What can you offer to her that perhaps an online store can not? More selection? More product information? A chance to get to know who you are? (You do have an About Us page that tells your story, don’t you?) A chance to gather information and ask questions without feeling pressured? There are many advantages to shopping online. Make sure you take advantage of those advantages.
#2 - Failing to Establish a Relationship with Her. Have you noticed that most websites leave you feeling cold? You don’t feel like you really know who the company is?
Speak her language. Most websites have copy that is formal and full of clichés - “We’ve been in business since 1987 providing turnkey solutions to take your business to the next level.†Try using a more conversational tone, lose the clichés, and get rid of the techno-jargon. Be clear. This does NOT mean be condescending. It simply means if you have a benefit that sounds technical (think product specs) explain how that feature is a real benefit to her.
How to Write a Search Engine Optimized Press Release
February 20, 2008
Today’s post was written by Fairy Godmother Janet Meiners, Internet Marketing Specialist. Janet blogs at Newspapergrl and works at Orange Soda.
I’ve been writing a lot more Search Engine Optimized (SEO) press releases again and so it’s on my mind. I’d like to share the steps of writing 
an SEO press release.
1. Assemble the facts, news angle, and begin writing.
To me, the best quality press releases involve actual interviewing, on the phone. There is so much more information you get by talking to someone. Sure, you can use email and that works, especially because you can’t misquote and you have a record. However, when you interview the right person, their passion for the subject can shine through and you can capture that essence in your writing. It also makes the story unique. But it takes longer.
2. Identify the keyword phrase or related phrase you want to optimize your press release for.
This can be easy if you already know the phrase but most of the time you need to do keyword research to see the competition and demand for a keyword phrase. You may want to go for a niche keyword that you can rank for more quickly. If you choose something like “Internet marketing†then you’re up against at least 100k other web sites who want to rank for that. That’s a long-term investment.
3. Incorporate the keyword phrase into the press release.
You need to make the keyword phrase an anchor, use it in the first sentence, title, and body of the press release. Don’t overdo it or it will look like spam. There are times I take an existing press release from a PR firm and add SEO. Otherwise you may want to start out with keyword phrase first rather than adding it later. I like my press releases to read well and the feel of them to come through first and then add keywords.
4. Submit the press release to a press release distribution service.
This sounds easy, but this is almost as much work as writing the press release. Each press release service has different rules according to how much you pay.
Links - Some won’t allow links, most regulate how many links your press release can have. Even the process of creating links is different for each service (and not always intuitive).
Optimization in the code (you can’t see this because it’s just for search engines) - You might need a list of 20 related keywords and write a summary with keyword phrases. This is SEO that no one sees but is very important.
Categorizing your press release - You may need to categorize your press release by subject and geographic areas.
Social media optimization - You may be able to add tags or other aspects, like Digg, Delicious, etc.
Attachments - If the service (like PRWeb) allows attachments, images, podcasts, etc, you need to identify and upload those.
Timing- Most of the time you need to submit your release a day or more before you want it to go out. For the media, you want to make sure that’s not on a weekend.
When I’ve crafted a great press release for search engines and for people I know that my editorial score will be high so there will be upwards of 50k (conservatively) clicks. Then if company I created it for changes it so it sounds right to them (but messes up the search engine optimization piece). (Sometimes legal, a few VPs, and directors have to buy off. That can seriously affect the success of your release and takes much more time.)
I’ve written press releases for newspapers and the media and we just faxed or emailed them to a list. Not much thought after writing except to target the release to the right people. Writing for search engines is much more technical and takes quite a bit more time.
Feel free to add information that I may have overlooked, or reference your posts about SEO press releases. Within the SEO industry we know a lot and none of this is news to you. However, I wanted to distinguish the difference between regular press releases and SEO optimized press releases.
Here’s a useful template for press releases by PR Web.
What Would You Do if another Retailer was Copying Your Product Descriptions?
February 5, 2008
Grant a wish! We’d love your feedback on this critical issue. Here is an email I received from a Startup Princess recently:
I have an issue that I thought you might be able to provide some insight. 90% of the product descriptions on my site are written by me. I spend many hours writing them as best as I could. Sometimes I look at other retailers for ideas, but ultimately the work is different than everyone else’s.
We are the first to carry quite a number of items, I know because I research online like mad on less common items. As these products become popular and talked about, other retailers start to notice and start carrying them also. That’s great and dandy, and expected, but the thing that is bothering me greatly is, I recently came upon 2 sites that started carrying the items after us, and found they have copied my descriptions word for word, down to the punctuation and quotations. I recognize my own work and it is obvious those descriptions/content came from our website.
Couple of things to keep in mind, (1) I don’t know if they are aware the content/work is my original. However, (2) the manufacturer/distributor for these particular products do not provide descriptions.
I do realize that people are likely going to copy if they see something is good and nice, but it is my own original work and content that they are stealing!! What can I do, what do I say, and how do I approach these retailers? Or should I just let it go, what would you do if you were me? Thanks in advance for any advice / tips you can provide. I do not want others to steal my work.
How to Use Social Media to Launch Your Next Product
January 8, 2008
Today’s Magic Wand: I’m doing a little PR/Marketing consulting for a company launching soon and in my research I came across this amazing post on How to Use Social Media as a Part of a Product Launch by Ignite Social Media that I felt was incredibly useful for our readers. I like how the article summarizes the expectations of using social media for online PR/Marketing and several tips for how to go about doing it…including Twitter, Facebook, and more. Enjoy!
Please Sell My Products! How to Be the Perfect Supplier and Attract Quality Re-Sellers
December 18, 2007
Many, many thanks to Fairy Godmother Erika Wilde of StopDirt.com for sharing her magical wisdom yet again! Enjoy her 10 secrets to being a perfect supplier!!
As an internet reseller for eight different suppliers, I’ve had my share of good and bad experiences with suppliers. I am approached almost weekly by people who want me to sell their products on my websites. I turn many suppliers down because they did not have enough of the perfect supplier qualities. If you are looking for resellers to sell a product that you produce, follow these ten tips to become the perfect supplier.
1. Drop Ship. You save your resellers time and money by drop shipping your product directly to their customers. Most resellers are willing to pay a nominal drop ship charge, usually $2-$5 per item. By drop shipping your product, you allow the reseller to enjoy ultimate cash flow by receiving payment from her customers before purchasing the item.
2. Offer Branding. Put your reseller’s contact information on the product. Can you offer a custom tag or sticker on the product? This leads to repeat business for your reseller.
3. Ship Blind. Do not include your contact information or the purchase price. Instead, make sure all the contact information will point customers to your reseller, not you.
4. Allow Resellers to Pay You By Credit Card. This saves accounting time and lets the reseller earn miles or rewards.
5. Ship Quickly. Make sure your product gets out the door within a couple of days. Slow shipments are the kiss of death for resellers. Immediately inform resellers about backorders or delays.
6. Ship Correctly. Send the right product to the right person.
7. Provide Internet-Ready Images. Resellers will be much more likely to add your products to their website if the reseller does not have to take her own pictures. Provide as many quality images as you possibly can.
8. Load ‘Em Up with Info. FAQ’s, tech or ingredients lists. Detailed product descriptions. Provide as much information as possible in a cut-and-paste format that makes for easy uploading to a website. Remember, your reseller needs to be able to answer all customer questions and she needs to know everything about your product. Make yourself available to answer questions and provide product updates.
9. Send Samples. It is hard for a reseller to sell something that she hasn’t actually seen. If your product is too expensive to send out for free, you can request that the products are returned to you after the reseller checks them out.
10. Don’t Compete. If you plan to sell the product yourself also, sell it at full retail so you aren’t undercutting your reseller’s profit. Feel free to set at MAP price (minimum advertised price) to protect your brand image, but make it low enough for reseller promotions and profit.
How to Manufacture a New Product Overseas
November 28, 2007
Our Fabulous Fairy Godmother Heather Allard is Founder of Swaddleaze and 2 Virtues and is now a consultant for women entrepreneurs at The Mogul Mom.
Are you completely overwhelmed by the thought of finding an overseas manufacturer?
I was too and that’s why I initially had my product, Swaddleaze, manufactured here in the United States, a decision that cost me thousands and thousands of dollars and nearly sunk my business in the first year.After searching through a gigantic apparel manufacturers directory, I found a mill that specialized in children’s apparel. They quoted me a “cut and sew” price that seemed fair and I contracted them to produce my first run of Swaddleaze.
What I didn’t realize was that I then had to source all the materials for my product and have the goods shipped to the manufacturer before they could begin production. I spent hours researching U.S. companies that made textiles, zippers, packaging, labels and more.I then purchased thousands of dollars of fabric, zippers, Velcro, interior labels, hangtags, packaging, inserts and price stickers and had everything trucked down south. The shipping cost was sometimes more than the cost of materials! My credit cards were practically melting and I had just begun this venture.When the manufacturer had finally finished the production run and had shipped the goods to me, each piece ended up costing $15.85! I had no idea how I would ever turn a profit at this rate. After selling through this initial run and almost going under, I made the decision to find an overseas manufacturer, no matter how daunting that task was.It took me about six months and a ton of “Googling” before I found an overseas manufacturer that was perfect for my needs. So how do you go about finding a manufacturer overseas that’s right for your business?
Here are the steps that will make that process faster, easier and less scary for you.
1. Before contacting overseas manufacturers, take the time to familiarize yourself with the terminology with this indispensable dictionary of trade, shipping and export terms at ExportBureau.com. This will help you feel confident when speaking to foreign manufacturers and will let them know that you’ve done your research. Some of the most common terms are:
Lead time this is the time between placing an order with a manufacturer and when the order is delivered.
Minimums how many pieces of a particular item you have to order. Usually, the more you order, the more affordable the price is.
Terms this usually means how and when the manufacturer will be paid (T/T, wire transfer, net 30 days, etc).
T/T this means that you wire transfer half the amount of the order before the manufacturer begins work and the other half at completion. The manufacturer will give their wiring instructions.
2. Ask around if you know other women who make products, ask them who their manufacturer is and then contact that company about pricing. Be sure to mention who referred you, as this will often get you a speedier reply. (If any of you are looking for a great apparel manufacturer, I’d be happy to refer you to mine. Contact me for more information.)
3. Use Alibaba.com, a global trade website that puts products, suppliers and buyers in touch with each other. Some Chinese suppliers are labeled “Gold Suppliers” which distinguishes them as premium, reputable suppliers. They are required to meet stringent criteria before becoming a Gold Supplier and are usually a safe bet. Once you’ve found a handful of manufacturers, contact them for pricing, terms, lead time and minimums. If possible, look for a manufacturer that will provide you with a complete package (also called FOB package). This means that the manufacturer will source all materials, produce the goods, package the goods, pack the goods, ship the goods and arrange for customs clearance and receipt of goods here in the U.S. and finally, have the goods trucked to you or your fulfillment center.
4. Compare pricing and service and then request samples. If there are any safety guidelines for your product, you must provide the manufacturer with those guidelines/criteria. Most overseas manufacturers are not familiar with US safety regulations set forth by the CPSC. Refer to CPSC.gov for more information. If you’re unsure about your product safety requirements, you can email a CPSC employee and they will assist you.
5. Once you’ve reviewed all samples and compared pricing, choose the manufacturer that’s right for your product or business and begin the production process.
Then, breathe a big sigh of relief because YOU DID IT!If you follow these steps, you’ll find out the same thing I did that manufacturing overseas isn’t so scary or overwhelming after all. It’s an exciting step that can often be the beginning of big success for you and your company.
How to Create a Media Kit that Gets You Publicity
November 21, 2007
Fairy Godmother Margie Zable-Fisher writes more awesome strategy for Startup Princesses wanting a bit more PR! Enjoy!In order to effectively conduct a publicity campaign, you must have a Media Kit. If you are a book author or can provide product samples, you will need both a print and online version of your Media Kit. Other business owners and professionals generally will only need an online Media Kit.
Here are four essential elements of a Media Kit:
Company Fact Sheet
This information is usually one or two pages. A fact sheet contains the basics:
• Description of company, when you were founded, company history
• Description of key products and services
• Listing of special achievements / awards
• Listing of key personnel with contact information
• Listing of company headquarters address and contact information (Web site, etc.)
• Listing of financial information, including revenue• Number of employees and listing of all locations
Company Backgrounder
Depending on the other press materials, this information can include in-depth industry information (especially for a new or rapidly changing industry), or more information on the company or its principals.
Biographies
Biographies provide the media with additional information about key personnel. The CEO/President and other principals should have biographies.This information can be in text or bullet form and should be no more than one page. A comprehensive bio includes:
• Name, title, list of responsibilities
• Previous jobs or businesses
• Education, awards
• Professional affiliations
• Community involvement
• Personal information (optional)
• Anything of interest that might make this person stand out to the media (for instance, the fact that an attorney specializing in stockbroker misconduct was a former financial advisor)
Press Releases A press release gives important information to the media. It usually features an “angle†that the media would be interested in covering – a new product, extreme business growth, new business, new medical study findings, etc.
Want to see actual examples of each Media Kit item?Get the free “Media Kit†Chapter of the Do-It-Yourself Public Relations Kit, which includes actual examples and formats for each item to include in a Media Kit, at http://zfpr.com/public_relations_kit.htm
Copyright 2007 Margie Zable FisherMargie Zable Fisher is president of Zable Fisher Public Relations, the leader in small business public relations. She publishes the ‘PRactical P.R.’ weekly ezine with thousands of subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your business through low-cost and free public relations and publicity techniques, get your FREE tips now at http://www.zfpr.com.
How to Sell Your Product in Target Stores
October 23, 2007
I love Target, don’t you? Wouldn’t it be amazing to sell to them? If you have the resources to produce 9,000+ units, then you should consider it! Fairy Godmother, Margie Zable Fisher of Zable Fisher PR writes the following article about how to get your foot in the door with Target. She writes:
Can I share a secret with you?
It’s not all that hard to get Target interested in selling your products. Why would you want to sell to Target? Well, each of the 1,500 Target stores usually orders at least a half dozen products from each vendor — that’s at least 9,000 sales right out of the gate! Sounds like a pretty good reason, right? Plus, Target is the place to sell any high design products “Tar-jay”, as it is sometimes called, has a certain cache.
So how can you get a Target buyer interested in your product? Here are some ways that a Target buyer I spoke with finds new products:
1. Attending trade shows. Do you skip exhibiting at trade shows because you think they’re a waste of time and money? Think again. Many Target buyers find new products at trade shows. It’s a great way for the buyers to see many products at one time.
2. Publicity. For product companies, publicity provides a double-win: not only do you attract consumers willing to buy your product, but you also attract the attention of retailers who might want to sell your product. My Target buyer source tells me that reading about a great new product in a magazine or newspaper, seeing it on a TV show, or reading a favorable review about a new product online is a great way to get her attention.
3. Sales Reps. Large retailers like Target often work with professional sales companies that show them products that would work for them. All these sales companies do is sell to large retailers, so they have access to many buyers.
But there’s a LOT more to it…
What criteria does Target look for in a product?
What financials do you need to know before approaching Target?
Will you manufacture or license your product?
When can you expect to be paid by Target?
How long is the process?
WHERE do you start?
To learn MY step-by-step formula for getting your products on the shelves of Target and skyrocketing your sales, see my Special Report, “How to Get Your Product on the Shelves at Target, available here: http://zfpr.com/target.htm.
Margie Zable Fisher is president of Zable Fisher Public Relations, the leader in small business public relations. She publishes the ˜PRactical P.R.’ weekly ezine with thousands of subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your business through low-cost and free public relations and publicity techniques, get your FREE tips now at http://www.zfpr.com.
Now it’s your turn: I want to know if any of you have already tried to get a product into Target, what was your experience?? How did you get your product noticed? What recommendations do YOU have for other Startup Princesses who want to sell to Target?
Publicity: How Did You Hear about the Conference?
October 16, 2007
Conference planners and event organizers stress about how to get people to attend their events and planning a new event is particularly challenging (as we found out). We are so grateful to each person to came to our conference, particularly those who had never heard of us and took a leap of faith that we’d produce something worth their time and resources. At the time of registration we asked each person how they heard about the conference. Thanks to Laurie Ann, our Startup Princess assistant at the Orem SBDC at UVSC who compiled this information.
Here is the breakdown of how we reached our first conference participants:
Affliliates: 10 guests (4 of which were from 1 individual)
Referrals: 2 guests
Media (newspaper, radio, or TV): 15 guests
SBDC UVSC clients: 12 guests
Startup Princess site, email list, or Startup Princess September event (pre-registration discount): 48 guests
Not known: 2
Events Calendars: 3
Exhibitors: 4 (these are people who approached us)
This breakdown demonstrates that half of the conference tickets came from readers of this site and people who were familiar with Startup Princess that we already knew (or whom already knew us). Affiliates were Startup Princess members who have large networks and sent out emails to their clients. The Media Campaign was helpful, (6 of those tickets were given away for free/promo), and we tracked over 140 referral links from the SLC ABC 4 affiliate station, which we appreciate! Awareness increased as a result and traffic has improved here since the exposure of the media, plus the affiliates who sent info to their lists was really helpful for us to reach people we don’t know who may consider us in the future. Partnering with the SBDC has been a huge opportunity for us all around– to have resources and a larger email list, besides their administrative support is priceless!!! I heard that it generally takes 7 contacts (emails, referrals, media, etc) for someone to act on something new…our email list heard from me several times and read about the conference often here, the others may have only heard about it once.
Today’s Magic Wand: Keep building your email list, you may not use it right now, but you never know when you may want to use it as an affiliate or for producing your own event someday. People who already know you will be more likely to attend a first time event than people who hear about the event through the media or from a friend.
Transform Your Idea into a Business PODCAST by Nancy Cadjan, Sign Babies
October 3, 2007
Fairy Godmother Nancy Cadjan, Sign Babies and Babies and Moms Radio (1 Milllion weekly listeners!) presented an excellent lecture at our Utah County September Networking Tea
Party about “How to Transform Your Idea into a Business.” She shares the story of how she realized she had a good idea with her sign babies flash cards (sold over 55,000 units), the ups and downs of business and product development and also about her next couple of books.
She gives excellent advice for women considering starting a business and gives a realistic view of what it takes to succeed and what is required to do get the product out there.
What product would I buy if I could find it? Do I have the resources? Do I have the time? Can I wait to receive a return on my investment?
Nancy will be presenting Part 2 of this presentation next week at our Startup Princess conference on October 12th about “How to Distribute Your Product”
