Business Alone

I mentioned in an earlier post that I thought press releases were one of the most effective yet misunderstood tools the business owner had at his disposal to market his business and drive targeted traffic to his products.

No one ever taught us how to write a good press release!

The single most important rule to remember is to focus on the wants of the reader. Write what the viewer wants, what will make him happy, save him time, or solve a problem he has.

Forget what you (the business owner) want. It's not about you.

In addition, here are some simple suggestions to boost your copywriting effectiveness and increase your chances of having the release published:

Press releases are one of the most effective yet misunderstood tools the business owner has at his disposal to market his business and drive targeted traffic to his products.

Here are a few simple suggestions to boost your copywriting effectiveness and increase your chances of having the release published:

6. Leave 'em hanging. One technique that is effective in getting press release viewers to head to your web site is to offer part of a story or a list but tell the reader he can find the remainder at your web site, at such and such address.

You build some curiosity and maybe a little suspense in not giving all the good details right then and there.

I have often made the comment, "You are the business." As a small business owner, you are the solo creator, founder, operator, and employee of your business.

Without you, and everything that you know, do, and are, your business is nothing. There is no business if you don't make it so.

I am a proponent of the solo small business strategy because I believe in digital information business as the "perfect" strategy for this day and age, especially for those that want to control every aspect of their life in the business world and beyond.

When you do business as a solo small business owner, you alone are responsible for every aspect of the business.

If there are breakdowns in your product sales, customer relations, or financial management, there's no one to shake a finger at except the guy in the mirror.

Now in a typical "regular" business, each of the employee managers that handle a department like those mentioned above will be scrutinized and evaluated in their performance.

The solo business owner has many tools and resources at his disposal that can leverage his time and automate his business so that he can accomplish much more by himself than would ever have been possible prior to the Internet.

Most business owners that utilize email will tell you that its low cost and "free" fast delivery are the main advantages of using it. But in my mind, at least, there are some other very important reasons why email is the communication medium of choice for the solo business owner.

If you are not using of these email advantages, why not give them a try? They may even be more important resources for your business than the low cost of contacting your customers and prospects.

I think this is an important question that every entrepreneur needs to ask of him/herself. I'm not talking about turning a dollar bill into coins.

You've probably noticed that everything related to Internet business changes quite rapidly. It's business at the speed of light, so to speak.

Your niche market changes and morphs over time as new innovations come on the scene and old traditions die out.

You targeted customers change. It is a rarity nowadays to keep the same customers as regular purchasers at your site for more than a couple of years.

That's a critical question for the solo entrepreneur.

When you are the sole business owner, employee, product creator, customer service rep, and shipping clerk you literally become the business.

You have no one to blame, no one to rely on, no one to pass the buck to.

You stand alone bearing your torch to the world and you either make it or you don't on your own skill and wisdom.

You attitude about yourself and the business you've created will make all the difference in the world when it comes to projecting your business in front of your customers.

There is one huge roadblock that stops men and women from accomplishing great things in their lives. It's the four letter "f" word . . .

No, not that one . . .

It's FEAR!

I want to let you know that most all of us have an unhealthy attitude toward fear. It's not your fault that you shy away from your fears. That's what you've been taught to do every since you were a child.

When you were afraid of the dark, rather than helping you meet your fear, Mom helped you avoid it by getting you a nightlight.

I had to chuckle a bit when I read the following statement in the biography of a local politician that was used to describe his philosophy:

"I've seen many changes in (community name) and I've been against most of them!"

He wanted to bring back "the good old days" when traffic was sparse, crime was low, taxes were much less, and folks were friendly.

Such may be the view of this old-timer, but it is a philosophy that can be very damaging to a company.

Most great entrepreneurs welcome change, embrace change, and seek ways to profit from the opportunities brought about by change.