Guest Post by Donna Toothaker

So you have an exciting new product or service . You’ve surveyed your target market and you know it’s something they want and need. So, you hire a copywriter to create a great sales page for it and then you expect quick sales (and lots of them!). Yet – no one is buying. You announce it to your list. You add it to your ezine and website . Still… no one is buying. What is going on?

There could be many reasons, but chances are your product isn’t being promoted enough
or consistently

Here is a list of ways to promote your new offering online.

Website and Blog : These are the most obvious. Your target market is visiting your website and blog, so, of course, you’ll want to be sure to highlight it on your home page as something new, and in a way that will catch the reader’s eye.

Ezine : Another “given,” but including your new offering in each ezine as a “recommended product” or service will give folks several chances to view the offering. I also suggest doing a solo promotion as an official “product launch”.

Tweets and Posts : If you’re not sure what this means, then it’s time you get a lesson in social media . You should be tweeting about your new product regularly (as much as 3 times/day) on twitter and posting regularly on Facebook.

Now – know this will only work if you are also including valuable information/communication in your tweets and posts. Solely announcing something you’re selling will seem “spammy,” and only turn people off.

Affiliates : Give a great commission, and have your affiliates sell your offering for you.
Make sure you are giving them plenty of sample emails, tweets, blog posts and graphics
for their marketing materials, and offer sales tips and suggestions — don’t expect or ask them to come up with materials and a sales pitch on their own.

Article Writing and Submission : Write articles relating to your new offering that would appeal to your target market, and submit them to online directories, such as EzineArticles.com. Include an appropriate bio with a call to action that takes readers
directly to your sales page.

Free teleseminar: It’s important to leave no question unanswered, especially for a higher-priced offering. Host a free teleseminar (or several) that will give people a chance to call in to ask questions about your product/service.

Joint Venture: Perhaps a colleague has a non-competing product, but a similar target market. Figure out a way to offer something together that will promote each other’s product at the same time, and to each other’s lists.

Remember that it takes anywhere from five to nine times for someone to look at something before they’ll become buyers. So, promoting in as many ways as are available to you, and consistently, is the key.

Good luck!

Donna Toothaker is CEO, founder and coach of Step It Up VA Coaching.

These highly sought-after VA coaching programs have been created
for established, successful VAs who wish to create the 6-figure
business of their dreams. Visit to receive the free report,
Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid in Creating a 6-Figure VA Business.

I have added a brand new Social Networking package
with two different options for those who want to break
INTO this very necessary stage of their businesses or
for those who have but find the maintenance part
to be too time consuming.

AND, I got the idea FROM Donna! Thanks, Donna!

Guest Post by Donna Toothaker

It wasn’t too long ago that small business owners could put up a website,
maybe add a blog, submit an article or two to online directories, do a
little search engine optimization and they would do fine getting website
activity and making sales. That process just doesn’t work anymore.

You can no longer BE online without being ACTIVE online.

And here’s why – you need to build relationships now, not just show your “brochure”
and wait for sales to come to you. These days, when people are cautious about spending,
they want to feel more comfortable about what they are purchasing. They want to “know, like, and trust” before they’ll purchase a product or service.

Here are three things you can do immediately to start building relationships,
become known as the expert in your field, and create the “know, like, trust” factor.

1. Ezine: Most businesses already have an ezine.

BUT – many are not utilizing it to its fullest potential.

If you’re not in front of your readers on a weekly basis at MINIMUM –
you’re missing the boat. Monthly ezines don’t work like they used to.
You MUST stay in front of your audience more regularly.

Your weekly ezine should be brief. A personal introduction, an article of relevance
on your area of expertise, an “about you” section and a recommendation are all
you need.

You need to show your personal side in your ezine.

People want to know YOU and get a sense of your personality and values.
Often I talk about my family in my ezine because family is my number one value.
People will resonate with that, or they won’t, but the point is, I’m sharing
what’s important to me and people want to buy from people with similar values.

2. Blog regularly: Sure, most business owners have a blog, too.

But it’s important to be blogging regularly.

People won’t subscribe to ezines quite as much anymore, due to email overload,
so it’s important to blog. Posting three times per week is ideal – but at a minimum
you should be posting once per week.

There are other benefits such as SEO (search engines LOVE updated content)
but for the scope of this article the primary benefit is relationship building.

Blogging is another avenue of building “community.”

Having comments open will allow people to ask questions, and share
their own opinions. Blogging is another way to show your personality.

3. Social media: Every business owner MUST be on Facebook, LinkedIn
and twitter. If you’re not – you are missing out in a big way.

Social media marketing is so important for building new relationships.
From these new relationships you’re able to generate activity to your
website, create interest in your products, and become known as the
expert in your field. Not only might you generate new business,
but you may create some joint venture opportunities.

Social media isn’t what “the kids are doing,” it’s what serious
business owners are using now to build important relationships.

Don’t wait for people to find your website – get active online,
build new relationships and watch the sales and new opportunities
come rolling in.

Donna Toothaker is CEO, founder and coach of Step It Up VA Coaching.

These highly sought-after VA coaching programs have been created
for established, successful VAs who wish to create the 6-figure
business of their dreams. Visit to receive the free report,
Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid in Creating a 6-Figure VA Business.

I have added a brand new Social Networking package
with two different options for those who want to break
INTO this very necessary stage of their businesses or
for those who have but find the maintenance part
to be too time consuming.

AND, I got the idea FROM Donna! Thanks, Donna!

Guest Post by Donna Toothaker

As Virtual Assistants and business owners, it is so easy to get lost
in the day-to-day details of running the business that we do not invest enough time in growing it. Even if we set aside several hours a week, where do we begin? What areas of our business need improvement? Where can we be more efficient? In what ways are we succeeding?

A coach or mentor can be an invaluable asset to help us focus on priorities, and give us encouragement. I place a huge value on my monthly coaching calls. But what if there was
a whole group of other successful Virtual Assistants to give you many new perspectives, support your ideas, point out areas that need improving, and hold you accountable for taking action? This is where a mastermind group comes in.

Simply stated, a mastermind group is a group of people who come together to achieve
a common goal. In this case, several VAs exchange ideas and perspectives to help one another grow their businesses. Here are a few reasons to join one:

1. Why go it alone? Your ideal mastermind group is made up of your peers. This peer-to-peer network is a great place to share ideas, get help when you’re stuck, brainstorm solutions, get inspiration, receive support – – and the list goes on. It is a way to share your strengths and benefit from the strength and experience of others.

2. Set goals and be accountable for them. Like a good personal trainer, your Mastermind group will prod you toward achieving your goals, and expect you to put in the effort.

If procrastination is one reason your business isn’t growing, having a group to hold you accountable is an excellent way to stay on track!

3. Motivation. Once you’ve set your goals, you need to be motivated to stay on track.
A good mastermind group will have homework for you to do so you can keep moving
toward your goals with focus and determination.

4. Get in, and stay in, the growth mindset. Many members of mastermind groups may
make six figures. If you are not yet there, joining a group is the first way to make
that goal tangible, and possible. What better way to become a big earner, than to
learn from them?

There are many ways in which to join a mastermind group. You may join one through a respected colleague, through a live event, or even form your own with peers.

Whichever way you join a group, be sure that you get the most out of it. A group should be structured and focused, accessible after mastermind calls, and be made up of a diverse and well-rounded group of entrepreneurs. Do your research, and joining the right mastermind group can help you grow your business dramatically, in much less time than it would take to do it alone.

Donna Toothaker is CEO, founder and coach of Step It Up VA Coaching. These highly sought-after VA coaching programs have been created for established, successful VAs who wish to create the 6-figure business of their dreams. Visit Step It Up VA to receive the free report, Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid in Creating a 6-Figure VA Business.

Remember, I am a Virtual Assistant who LOVES to do editing, proofreading
and transcription assignments along with research, blog posts, article submissions
and social media maintenance!

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