How to Sell

Suppose you are looking to buy a car. You have $20,000 in your bank account, due to smart savings practices. There are two cars, available from two different dealerships, that you like. One is a VW Bug, in that cool melon green color. The other is a trendy Chevy Cobalt. Red.

You actually like the VW Bug best. So you head on over to the Volkswagen dealership to check it out. You pull in, park your rusty death trap, and wander over to the area you think the car might be in. It’s hard to tell, as there doesn’t appear to be any real organization on the lot. But before you get there, you are greeted by the salesman. He is wearing a lime green shirt, a blue tie, and shiny black pants. He is practically glowing!

“Hi!” he says, shaking your hand. “I’m Bill. And I’m here to sell you a new car.” He glances at your old car. “And I can see you need one. Look over here, we have this great little yellow VW bug. It’s the best deal on the lot. And I can offer you a lot of great perks.”

“Well, I really wanted the melon colored one,” you say, trying to make your way over to the car.

“But, look! We have this other great deal! And I want to sell you a car! I can sell you this car over here, it’s 20% off the original market price. We have a special today on upgrades too! We’ll throw in a free three-CD changer, and a hands-free headset.”

“I don’t want any of those things! I just want the melon-colored bug!” Frustrated, you hop back into your car, and drive across town to the other car dealership. Wary this time, you pull in, and park, looking around for another annoying and loud salesman. No one. You wander over to the cars you like, appreciating how easy it is to find the one you like. You get a few minutes to check out the vehicle on your own before a saleslady approaches you.

“How can I help you today?”

“Well, I’m looking for a new car, and I really like this one.”

“Great choice,” she says. “We have a great deal right now, and I’d love to help you get into this car.” You test drive the car, and she points out the features as you go. Later, she talks you through the paperwork, and you drive away that afternoon in your new Chevy, still smiling over the pleasant encounter you had with the second dealership.

Which one of these describes your website and marketing techniques as a writer? Do you come on strong, telling prospective buyers all the things you will do for them, or do you ask them how you can make their goals possible?

If you have a very flashy website, filled with more color and advertisements for your work than actual content, you may be guilty of being the first salesman. If someone is on your site, it is probably because they are at least a little curious about what you have to offer. It is your goal as a writer and business owner to direct that curiousity. Make sure that your website is set up in a way that makes sense. Let viewers know what you can do for them, and then stand back. Let your high quality content do the work for you.

Remember that bright colors and flashy buttons don’t sell your services. Quality and usability do.

SMX West- And Why You Should Care

SMX (Search Marketing Expo) West is going on right now. It’s basically a big convention, filled with the biggest names in the Search Engine world.  There are conference sessions, an expo center, and lots of activities planned for guests. Check out the SMX website, and tell me this doesn’t look like a really cool event.

So what does this mean for you? Let me tell you. Events like this are a great way to keep an ear to the ground for the new and exciting developments in search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optomization (SEO). And that is the part that matters to us writers. I’m sure you all know what SEO is, but just in case– It’s little “tricks” that writers and website owners can use to be noticed by search engines. Things like using keywords. Tricks is the wrong word. But you know what I mean.

Like me, you’re probably sitting at home during SMX West. Luckily for us, Outspoken Media’s Lisa Barone is there. And she is taking notes.

Lisa is liveblogging the whole event on the Outspoken Media blog. Not only is she blogging about her experiences, she is typing in all of the important information from the sessions she attends. And I recommend you all head over there to read it.  A lot of it might not apply to our writing, but it will definitely apply to how we market our writing, and ourselves, online.

Yes, It Really is About Who You Know

I have a confession.  I am a twitter addict.  And it’s just getting worse. I check first thing in the morning, right before bed, and a hundred times between.  I may not post a lot, but I read a lot.  And I learn.

Social marketing sites, like twitter or facebook, are a great resource for writers, or other business people. It allows you to get in contact with other like-minded people, exchange ideas, and get your thoughts known.

The importance of twitter as a business tool, and how it can help your business and brand, has been beaten to death by other bloggers, all better known and more knowledgeable than myself. That’s not what I’m here to tell you about.

I use twitter for work purposes. But that’s not what I spend most of my time doing on there. I watch and learn. I interact. I am making friends. I am part of a little cluster of other mom writers who get on twitter to share not only the challenges and triumphs of their writing career, but also about how their darling son or daughter just will not go down for a nap. Or how their husband is out late. Or how they can’t wait to get together with a group of friends for lunch. I share about my obsession with Two and A Half Men, and House. I share about my love of cooking. Ask my twitter friends how often I post about baking. They’ll tell you. (Have a loaf of bread making right now, actually.)

It is definitely important to build connections, make business contacts, and find ways to grow your business. But it is, dare I say it, even more important to build relationships. Be friendly. Be supportive. Ask questions, comment, cheer people on as they meet their goals. I remember the interactions I have that leave me smiling. And if I’m looking for a product or service, I’ll turn to those people first.

Make a lasting impression. Not just with a great product, but with a great personality.

And, in case you’re wondering, you can find me on twitter as @bluewingz.