By Arlynda November 01, 2010
Dr. Gaustad is number one in my book.. Very personable and caring. He even called a friend of his to get me a referral in another state... That is what I call going a step further to help his patients.. ...read more
By Chad Nichols September 17, 2009
It took a month to get into this place. When I arrived for my 3:15pm appointment, I was told that it had been changed to the next day at 2:00. She didn't know why that happened, wasn't sorry and I was told to take-or-leave the next day appointment. There were 6 assistants in the front office, and not one could keep an appointment or notify me of the change. If the secretaries are that bad, just think of the professional service you'll probably get from the optometrist. Really insulting. It's a small island and word gets around. ...read more
By Laura U. at Judy'sBook October 18, 2005
This store is my favorite furniture store in the area. I have always been able to find just what I am looking for. They deliver, without a charge, they setup anything that need to be setup, and they take away any old piece that you hav... ...read more
So, you're a business owner - you know a lot about the products and services you sell, right? You know all the ins and outs of everything that has to do with your business niche. And, you probably have a 'story' of how you became passionate about your career path and were led to go into business for yourself - most people do. They're almost always very fascinating and often inspirational to listen to, in my opinion. I do remember having written about this before (other than sometimes forgetting why I've walked into a room - I've still got it 'upstairs' even though I come from 'the olden days'). But, it is such a great opportunity for local business owners. I want you to be aware of it - and to, hopefully, take action before the playing field gets too crowded! Self publishing has opened up a whole new world for all of us. What am I talking about? Amazon.com, the Nook, and really, every other property on the Internet, too (that's why some call it "online real estate"). Today, we each have an opportunity to have influence;spread our knowledge (teach a skill); or share our opinions and help people from all over the world who we probably will never meet in person. We all know and accept that is possible, but too few people actually take advantage of the opportunity. It's a pretty amazing cultural phenomenon, especially for people my age to behold. And, one way to reinforce what you know certainly is - to teach it to others, right? So, have you written your book yet? If "no", may I be so bold as to ask, "Why not"? Nearly everybody has a book within them. What are your major road blocks? I'll just take a guess, and try to destroy a few hypothetical blocks for you. Do you cringe at the thought of seeing your name online?I know it took more than five years for me to finally take a deep breath and type my own name in the author field, so I absolutely understand. You wouldn't believe how many 'Pen Names' I tried out first, but since I wanted to help business owners in person, it became a little awkward. I mean, how much credibility can you exude when your very introduction points out that you've been hiding something as important as your name? Online only, it's common to use a pen name, but not so accepted for an offline business. A lot of websites leave out the name of the business owner, and that no doubt works against the business. I procrastinated on that a long time, too. After I did it, I cowered in fear, even embarrassment for awhile. "What will people think"?, I asked myself. Well, you know what? I've not seen evidence that they pay a lot of attention to just one more name, people are pretty wrapped up in their own lives, as they should be - it is their life. People I know, or have known? Well, some will respect my efforts to be financially independent, a few will be critical, but I can't control anyone's thoughts but my own.If you're being held back because of the name issue, maybe this will help . . . not that it's a gigantic accomplishment that I finally started using my name online. But, it is a personal victory, considering earlier struggles. I've always been a quiet, shy 'fade into the woodwork' type. When I was twelve, I was instantly infatuated by the lovely aroma of permanent wave solution after walking by a beauty college with my parents - I knew at that moment I wanted to be a hairdresser when I grew up. When I graduated from high school, I was awarded a $50 scholarship (it was a long time ago, the total cost was just $350). I nearly died, though, when I had my first 'live' client! I had no idea what to say to her - it was so stressful! With a lot of committed effort, I eventually learned to participate in 'small talk' and, along the way,figured out how much other people love to talk - what a relief that was! As time passed, clients started to seek me out. They liked my work, but they also learned that they could confide in me - and trust that I'd keep it all to myself. If the Internet had existed I would have strenuously avoided writing a book with my name on it as author back then. Fast forward a few years, though. Life looked pretty bleak for a couple of decades . . . poor health, constant pain, and difficulty even moving. Then, with the help of some amazing modern medical miracles I was given a second chance. I chose a career, which was all I'd wanted for years. I realized the 'future' was limited to just a few more years, though, and I didn't want to spend any of those years regretting a lack of courage. So, I took to heart something my late mother-in-law had always said, "who's going to remember in a hundred years?", and just did what I had to. That's a liberating perspective, right? If this is holding you back, just decide to do it, then follow through! Are you concerned about the expense of self publishing a book?Don't give it a passing thought! It costs nothing to publish an ebook on Amazon's Kindle! Many people assume otherwise, but it's true. Or, I should explain, it's true for the ebook. They also have an option for you to have a physical print version of your ebook. This is free, too, until you purchase a copy of your book, then it can cost you $3 or more per book - it's "print-on-demand". 'Create Space' does this for Amazon authors. This is affordable to give to a prospective customer as a gift and that gives them a good reason to choose you over your competitors who haven't written a book demonstrating their knowledge.This is all well and good, unless you decide to have your book written by a ghostwriter. This is a good idea if you simply don't have time or you don't feel your writing skills are where you'd like them to be. This cost varies with the ghostwriter. As a ghostwriter myself, I like to start by simply having a conversation with my prospective 'author'. If I feel we're a good fit, I'm glad to provide a proposal that includes sufficient face time to get to know the author, their personality and writing tone, and the topic of the book they wish to write about. Some ghostwriters charge a fee and a share of royalties, for as long as the book is published. I simply charge a fee, payable in three payments - 1/3rd before starting, 1/3rd after the 1st reading, and the remaining after the book is completed and approved. Of course, satisfaction is guaranteed, to include a reasonable number of edits. At some point, you will have gained your investment back through book sales and quality prospects you convert to customers. Like all ghostwriters, I always sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, giving the author full ownership.It's not just the book that needs to be written, though, a PR campaign strategy should be put in place for best results. You'll need to create a little 'hoopla' to get some well deserved attention, as every niche is fairly crowded. This includes in-store graphic ads with an image of the book (or a hard copy on display), press releases, videos, webinars,and other strategies you may decide to employ. You could probably get a local radio or TV interview, for example. There is an author's area that should be completed, and there is the all important description field (for Search Engine purposes, as well as 'selling' a prospective buyer on your book). You can also link your blog to your authors area.Of course, your title will need to be researched both on Amazon.com and on Google. This is to ensure you're using keywords and keyword phrases in the title that match the words people actually use to search for information about your area of expertise - and they shouldn't be the most competitive. Finally, you'll want an attractive and easy to read cover to display on the site, on your website, in your store or office, and on all advertisements or articles about your business.Are you afraid to give away what you know?Do you guard the information you have in order to keep others from just going ahead and doing the work by themselves? I fully understand that. Since 2005, I've spent a small fortune learning and, yes, it definitely strikes me as unfair sometimes to think that I should then just pass on some of that information for free. But, since it took me eight years to learn what I now know (and, I'm not a genius, but I'm not "slow" [mentally] either), it's doubtful someone could duplicate it to their benefit after reading just a book or two. The idea widely promoted around the information marketing (online) world has always been that "you need to give,to receive". So, that's where the "Free Report" concept comes in. It ties in with the List Building post written just before this one (a couple of weeks ago).You publish a 'Landing Page' and through it people provide their first name and email address, plus cell # if selected in exchange for the privilege of downloading your free report. This is how many Internet Marketers who sell information products build their list - which they consider their most valuable asset. You'll consider it yours, too, after you've gotten a good start and are experiencing business growth from this strategy. This definitely applies these days to small local businesses, as well as Internet only businesses. After people read your report, and a book or two you've written, they can at least tell that you're knowlegable about your topic, and that puts you on their "A" list.Does the thought of writing a book make you feel insecure, like you may not know enough?This is typical, for most people who aren't strongly ego driven. Lack of confidence in our abilities is a huge problem that prevents many people from reaching their potential. Trust me, whether you're a chef, a plumber, chiropractor, dentist, hair stylist, physical therapist, banker, real estate agent . . . or practice virtually any occupation, you know facts and perform tasks every day that the average person doesn't have a clue about - and they no doubt search for answers to their questions online. Don't you feel an obligation to answer those questions for them? That said, I've certainly experienced that "oh, everyone probably knows that already" thought - I like to attribute that thought to the devil, and immediately try to turn my attention to the angel sitting on my opposite shoulder, who encourages and uplifts me.(-: The fact is, what you know isn't common knowledge. So, don't doubt yourself! You're smart, talented, and capable of making an even bigger contribution than you've ever imagined. Hopefully, I've addressed at least one of the hurdles that may be holding you back from writing and publishing an ebook for the whole world to find online. If not, email me atinfo@whidneymarketingmaven.comwith any other questions you may have. Amazon Kindle and other similar sites will become important for small local businesses as an additional marketing tool, so if you're still reading this maybe you'll put some thought into being the leader in your local area and publishing one or more ebooks soon. I've mentioned SoMoLo before (Social, Mobile, and Local) - now it's grown to become SoMoLoCo. The C-O? It stands for Content. . . fresh, original, informative, educational, entertaining, and well-written Search Engine Optimized Content.It's good for the reader, good for the search engines, and good for your business growth! Content is King. ...read more
By Whidbey Marketing Maven May 24, 2013
Fishbowls are getting a lot of attention these days in the world of local marketing . . . what might they have to do with your business? Even though you don't sell fish, acquariums, and the like? For years, many restaurants and other local businesses have put a fishbowl near their cash register and asked that business owners put their business cards in it. Sometimes, they'd do a daily or weekly drawing for a free appetizer, dessert, or percentage-off deal. More often than not, though, this idea fell through the cracks eventually, and the bowl just sat there continuing to collect the occasional business card. To a marketer the names and contact information on those cards inside that fishbowl (or any other list of customers you might already have) is pure gold for that business - and they've been able to effect amazing growth by using it. This is called "Building a List" in the Internet Marketing field, and it's a must! Whether it's for an email campaign, or a text SMS (Short Message Service) for mobile device users - "The Money is in the List" applies. No Internet Marketer disputes that. Small local businesses get more customers, too, when they use this method! Why shouldn't you use your list of customers emails and cell phone numbers the very same way? Ethically, of course, as both email and text message marketing are 'NO-SPAM' methods. In fact, it would be a good idea to have someone from your business call to verify whether customer information is up-to-date, and ask to add them to your email or text list - that is the right way to get started. You may have something special for those who choose to be a member of this group, too. If you don't already have a list, you can add an in-store sign to invite customers to join your special V.I.P. List. Also, include the offer on your website, blog, or other advertising materials. This is something you can do even if you don't yet have an internet presence, too! (You'll definitely want to think about getting a blog or something set up, ASAP, though). This is very inexpensive, simple, and effective for any business. Restaurants, pizza restaurants, salons, and many other business niches are using both of these methods, not just for keeping customers engaged, but to fill in during slow times of the day. It works! One pizza restaurant in Texas reported that they sent a text message to customers shortly before the end of the day shift, included a click-to-call link and offered to have the pizza ready when they stopped by - the results just blew them away! If you already have a sign-up form, maybe you've let this part of your marketing slide, but it's not too late to re-vitalize your business. If you don't have a system for email, or would like to also try text messaging, I've just become a reseller for TextnEmail. You could have your system all set up and running in a really short time! What exactly, is this? It's a software platform . . . you'd set up your account with your email and a password, then have access to the database and other features. It's super easy! But, I'd be happy to help you get started, for no additional cost if you need the help - it starts as low as $59.95 a month! If you're not doing much marketing, this could change your business fast - add a "Landing Page" (for as low as $199 online - many charge $500 or more!) and get prepared! Email, info@whidbeymarketingmaven.com ,or call 360-279-2767 if you have any questions about this or any other local business marketing topics to discuss. Business hours are between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. weekdays (excluding holidays). Sign up by May 31st, and get your copy of Successful Email/Text Marketing Tips, with my compliments. ...read more
By Whidbey Marketing Maven May 09, 2013
E-books began outselling physical books some time ago, e-readers are available everywhere, so is it time for you to write your book? Did you know? What ever topic or skill you have expertise in can easily lend itself to a book. So, if you're a plumber, a roofer, electrician, chiropractor, dentist, hairstylist . . . whatever your field, your clients/customers, or prospective customers would probably like to learn from you. Instructions on Amazon Kindle are very straightforward. They've even added a book cover creator. There's no reason not to contribute your knowledge there if it's something you've ever thought about doing. This is an ideal extension to marketing a business and that aspect will likely become more apparent as time passes. You can place links inside your ebook to your website, if you wish, or to any online location. Add images or whatever illustrations add value and understanding to your content. Content Marketing is big now, the old saying "Content is King" is the current reality again, so books, blogs, social media posts - they're all important. You can choose to sell your book anywhere in the world. Earn a great side income, and have fun, too! Don't like to write? Hire a ghostwriter. No one will ever know - if you can keep a secret! Imagine what people will say - when someone as busy as you actually publishes a book on top of meeting all your other obligations! Want to learn more about being an author on Amazon, Nook and other platforms? Call 360-279-2767, Available, 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. ...read more
By Whidbey Marketing Maven May 03, 2013
Small businesses can benefit from accepting credit cards. Credit card processing companies now recognize that you may need to take a credit card while away from your office and have made that easy to do with your phone. Credit card machines come in a number of sizes, and small businesses have a variet... ...read more
Making a living from home offers independence and unlimited potential. To improve a home business strategy, explore the areas of your business that might benefit from a change. Home office organization, marketing strategies or communication with clients may be areas in need of improvement. ...read more