In the case of Social Media, it’s essential that you use this tool properly because the viral nature of these networks can have a lot of negativity circulating about your business at lighting speed. My point is, have integrity. Monitor your Fan Pages and such to keep abreast of what your audience is saying and, above all, respond! Social media is not another place to push out unwanted marketing messages. It is however, a great device for LISTENING and RESPONDING to the needs of your consumers and that’s where having personal and professional integrity can richly reward you.

Integrity is being sound, complete and unimpaired which means that when things have integrity, they function as they were intended to. Most importantly, when you are in integrity, that quality of soundness and wholeness impacts all that you do; it leaves you feeling GOOD.

That interconnectedness suggests that what lacks integrity in your business (for example, marketing that doesn’t produce results) has an equally adverse effect on you. It manifests as stress, anxiety and feeling drained. What’s more, you will invariably find yourself in a position of having to compensate for a lack of productivity, prospects and of course, profits.

This happens whenever you shift your focus away from the work itself and onto finding, intercepting and connecting with potential clients. And as you lose focus, you also lose momentum, flow and ease. Am I getting warmer?…

Unfortunately, most business owners experience little or no integrity (results) from their marketing. Fortunately, the reason why is very clear: they are merely using outdated, low-impact marketing tactics and replicating them online.

What the Naked Marketing MethodSM affords you is a way to greatly increase the efficacy of the resources you spend to promote your business. How? By adding the power of human consciousness (this means YOU!) to the mechanisms that made Facebook and Google what they are.

Bringing integrity to your business the Naked Marketing way is achieved powerfully and quickly through the principles of authenticity, visibility and transparency. When combined, these principles give your marketing what 99.9% of your competitors’ marketing lacks… SUBSTANCE.

Substance is the stuff of who you are, really. Substance is satisfying because it’s real. And what the world is insatiably hungry for is what’s real, what has a name, a pulse and the story not unlike their own.

Ask yourself if the inability to connect with what is REAL is not the most common complaints about the Internet. Honestly, when was the last time you left a website in frustration after finding it impossible to find someone or something to help you?

Now ask yourself, would YOU be willing to be the source and the giver of what you and everyone else is searching for? Are you willing to distinguish your business with integrity by doing what actually works? Then stand up, say “Yes!” And be richly rewarded. The world is wanting and waiting for real connection… just like you!

You may have temporarily lost your sanity and peace of mind, but there is a way out!  Follow me as I share THREE key strategies on how to break free from  overwhelm in just 21 days.

BREAK FREE STRATEGY #1:  Your Self-Talk Matters – a LOT
Stop complaining about how busy and overwhelmed your life is at this time.  (I didn’t say this would be easy, just effective.) Complaining really does not work (even though it may feel “good”).  It only throws negative energy that comes from frustration,  anxiety, and disappointment on the problem which drains you.  Plus, when you focus on the problem you limit your ability to come up with solutions which prevents your escape from overwhelm.  Instead of complaining, which is a sign of resistance, ACCEPT your overwhelm as a TEMPORARY state of being.  Whenever a complaining thought comes up (and they will until you change that habit) simply say, CANCEL, CANCEL, CANCEL.  You truly have the choice to DESELECT thoughts that make you feel disempowered and crummy.  This shift in attitude and control over your thoughts will do wonders to your energy levels AND will free up your brain to be more productive.

BREAK FREE STRATEGY #2:  Your Feelings Matter – a LOT
Overwhelmed is a feeling that is very personal to you.  This anxious feeling creates stress and leads to poor decision making.   Research shows that when you are faced with too many choices, you will either make a bad decision or become paralyzed and not make one at all.  Recognize YOUR feelings associated with overwhelm so you can stop them before they before they impair your brain and steal your energy.  Then, make a conscious shift to GRATITUDE for your situation, life, and opportunities.   When you consistently feel gratitude, you are in an IDEAL feeling state which leads to other life-giving feelings like contentment, joy, and peace.  You life will feel LIGHTER and BRIGHTER.

BREAK FREE STRATEGY #3:  Your Priorities Matter – a LOT
You get to choose a LOT of what you say YES and NO to in your day.  Opportunities and responsibilities are coming at you – fast and furiously – and you want to be able to quickly decide what goes on your TO DO LIST.   To make these critical decisions, use great questions.    Try these below:

Will this opportunity  boost or drain my energy?
Will this opportunity  bring me closer to my targets/goals?
Will this opportunity align with my values and/or needs?

Imagine yourself in your IDEAL STATE – your opposite state from overwhelm.  You may feel centered, more alive, at peace, in control, and relaxed.  You may see yourself holding your arms out wide, embracing your life rather than resisting it.  Next, imagine yourself choosing to do things that add vitality and meaning to your life.  You will begin to feel lighter, more confident and empowered.

Plan your big escape from overwhelm by doing these strategies and the visualization for 21 days.  Your results will be amazing as you begin to take control of your life and experience it with greater ease and joy.

Transparency is ease of connection. In marketing terms, it suggests that the really meaty part of your offering be front and center. If you’re in a service-related business then that offering is YOU, including your perspective and insights.Being transparent suggests that what you express should be direct and, above all, clear. Taking on the Naked Marketing Method demands that you no longer hide or bury who you are and what you bring in the pages of your website. The faster you can relay the essence of your message, the higher your conversion rates and profits will be.

Transparency informs the way in which you construct your web site using shallow navigation and highly consumable content delivered consistently. It also asks that you be willing to share what you stand for without having to forfeit your privacy. Communicating what you stand for aligns you with affinity groups that share your values and creates opportunities with under-served markets or for dominating the niche market of your choosing.

Your collective perspective and solutions expressed through the Naked Marketing MethodSM equal your brand. And the value of your brand (or any other brand) is the extent to which the buying public identifies with the values represented by that brand. Values = value… Aaaaa haaaa!

By being “out there” in front of your audience, and having the moxie to go beyond your comfort zone, you step ever closer to claiming and finally achieving your highest good and long-sought success. Being authentic, visible and transparent will clearly distinguish you from the countless glossy but faceless corporate and utterly dead websites with whom you’re competing for traffic. So, if you’re looking for a competitive edge, look no further than the nearest mirror.

1. Give your cards to your customers to give away as referrals for you and your

business.

2. Give your cards to others you do business with so they can refer business to

you.

3. Work with companies that have complimentary products and services to

your company and offer a business card exchange where you include their

cards with your marketing materials and ask them to include your card with

their marketing materials.

4. Do a business card exchange with area businesses for cross promotion.

5. Give your cards to family and friends so they can promote you.

6. Leave your cards along with a promotional drawing for a gift or offer from

your business. You can set these promotional drawings up at other

businesses or at events.

7. Give your cards to others to distribute with a promotional offer on the back.

8. Place your cards in business card displays at other businesses, Chambers of

Commerce or at events.

9. Offer to distribute cards for other businesses in exchange for them sharing

your cards.

10. Put a bonus offer on the back of your card along with a place for the name of

the person who will be distributing the cards. Offer the person distributing

the card a referral bonus for customers who return the card with their

purchase.

10 Ways to Get the Most Value from Your Investment

1. Keep your cards in a business card holder or a box so they don’t get bent, or

dirty.

2. Don’t give out cards that you used to blot your lipstick, make notes on, or

that have stains.

3. Keep plenty of cards on hand. Don’t Run Out.

4. Always have plenty of cards at a networking or business function.

5. Keep a stack in your car, your purse, your briefcase, your golf bag, or

anywhere you might meet a prospect.

6. Give stacks of cards to family members and friends to give out when they

meet someone.

7. Make sure you have a good system for filing or storing data from the cards

you receive.

8. After giving your card always follow up quickly.

9. Write notes on the back of the card to remind you where and when you

received the card (name of person who gave you the card as a referral, name

of function, location of business where you got the card)

10. Create more than one kind of business card. One with your business

information and additional cards with offers, appointments, or how to tips.

The short answer is that what’s right for you is what you like.

Of course there are some practical guidelines, but above all else, a website is a marketing tool – and it should represent you (or your company).

Here are some tips and guidelines to help you make the decisions that will make your website do its job effectively.

Starting Design

Places to start looking for ideas and elements:

A website, as one of your marketing materials, should coordinate with the others. (Not match, necessarily, but they should have the same look and feel so that viewers recognize them as your “brand.”)

So, start with your logo, brochure or business card. Colors and design elements can be pulled from your printed materials and used as elements in your site design.

Of course, if you no longer like what you have and want to start over, skip that step.

One of your best resources is other websites. As you surf, make note of the sites that you like – and what you like about them. You don’t want to copy other sites, but they are a good resource for colors, shapes, layouts and elements that you can incorporate into your design.

Look at the sites of people who do essentially the same thing you do. And branch out from there. You want to stand out from the crowd. If everyone in your arena has a square blue layout, you might want to consider green curves.

For even more ideas, search for sites that offer “website templates.” There are many, many such sites that you can browse for ideas.

The operative idea is that YOU have to like your website! In order to attract the people who are looking for you – your site should reflect who YOU are, and what YOU do.

Considerations

With all of that said, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind that apply to all websites.

The Web has taken our TV-conditioned short attention span to new heights. When searching for something on the Web, we have so many choices, that if we don’t find it easily in one place, we look somewhere else.

Make your menu easy to find, easy to read, and easy to understand. Refrain from the temptation to use labels for sections that make visitors have to think. If they’ve come to your site to learn about your company, “About Us” or “About” is what they most easily understand. Menu labels is one place where I discourage creativity.

Ad adjunct to the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Sweetheart) principle: A visitor to your site should be able to quickly scan the top of your front page and know they are in the right place. Headlines, bullets, graphics – things that are easy to scan and tell the “big picture” story, should be short and sweet, and right out front. Details are best left to other pages.

Make the assumption that every visitor comes to your site with one question to which they want an answer, and they want to find that answer as easily as possible. The job of your site is to facilitate that. Links that are easy to find, limited in choices, and carefully labeled will do that most effectively.

Success Booster #1:Your word is a powerful energetic force by which you communicate, think and create the events in your life.

One dancer when asked about her desire to be in the competition answered with a quote from her mother: “My momma always told me that what you say, you speak into existence.”  She then went on to passionately talk about her dreams and her commitment to developing her potential to its fullest.

Ask yourself:

Do my words clearly express what I want and who I am OR do they send unclear messages?

Are my words moving me forward OR keeping me stuck in place?

Success Booster #2: No one can want something more than you want it for yourself.

Prior to this season’s audition, a dancer was eliminated when she said that her friend and fellow competitor deserved the final spot more than she did. It was heartbreaking when the judges told her that she had been selected, but now they would take her friend instead.  She returned this year equipped with new-found passion and more powerful words that reflected her worthiness to be selected and to express her total commitment.

Ask yourself:

Do I want to invest my time and energy into creating success?  Into setting and reaching my goals?

If my efforts do not lead to the results I want, what regrets will I have, if any?

Success Booster #3: Obstacles pave the way to success and excuses pave the way to failure.

Things come between you and your goals.  It happens daily and/or it can happen in one defining moment.  What you choose to do in those challenging moments determine your ultimate success.  Many of the rejected dancers from the previous year returned stronger and better.  They took the advice they were given and found ways to get over and around what looked like obstacles at the time.

Ask yourself:

What is stopping me from achieving my goal?

Am I using my obstacle(s) as an excuse to avoid success or experience more failure?

It was clear that success favored the talented dancers who dared to dream, set goals, practice excellence and then go for it despite their fears.  To amp up your success:

• Create a clear vision expressed with a compelling message
• Share your passion that is backed up with habits of excellence
• Develop a healthy mindset that views failures and setbacks as opportunities for growth

I have created an online assessment of the 12 key factors affecting your success as an entrepreneur.  It will allow you to understand your specific strengths and weaknesses with respect to your mental and emotional ability to be successful.  You can access the assessment here:  http://susanbrowncoaching.com.  Go to Assessments and click on Factors for Success Assessment.

After you take the assessment, I will send you the resulting report by email and schedule a convenient time to debrief your results at no cost or obligation to you.  This is a $147 value that will help you to better understand exactly where you can begin taking action to achieve your goals.