Diana Ennen

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Below you will find some of our old newsletters.

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(September 2, 2011)

Hi guys!

The long Labor Day weekend for many of us.  I hope you all have a great time.  We are planning a very relaxing weekend.

The last few weeks I’ve been doing a lot of direct pitching for clients.  That’s where you pitch a product or service to a targeted group.  You research who you think would be a good audience for this, develop the pitch and then send them out.  We have been very successful with these.  One of the reasons I believe so successful is that we really have a clear focus and a clear benefit for those we are targeting.  By showing them the benefit to them of working with us (or utilizing our products), they are more prone to respond back and learn more. We are clear in the fact that it’s “good for you.”  I think a lot of times people lose focus of that in their pitching.  They try too hard to “sell” and not enough to “engage.”  When you really pitch correctly it can get great results.  BTW, if you didn’t get our last three part series o n pitching, let me know and I’d be happy to send it to you. (diana@virtualwordpublishing.com)

Last week I had a major computer crash  … you know the type, you come to your computer and see the blue screen of death.  For business owners, that can literally mean disaster!  (and lots of stress.)  Fortunately for me, two weeks prior to this I had received a new computer for my birthday.  I hadn’t moved over to it fully yet, but it enabled me to continue on with business without a disruption.  Now that felt good.  I thought with all the crazy weather we’ve been experiencing, and my near disaster with a computer, it would be a good time to write on disaster preparedness.  I hope you enjoy my article below.  If you have tips, please do share them with us.

Have a great week everyone!

Diana Ennen

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We are extending our Summer Specials … We had such a great response and we want to thank all our new friends!

SUMMER SPECIALS ….  Order any of our books in our bookstore at www.virtualwordpublishing.com and get a 30-minute free coaching call with me.  All you need to do is order your books, then email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com and I’ll set it up.  This is a $50.00 value – FREE!

BTW, have you checked out our affiliate program.  Just sent out some affiliate commissions this week.  It’s a great way to make a little extra money!  http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/affiliates.html

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Prepare Your Home Based Business Now – Disaster Preparedness 101

Here are a few tips that I find very beneficial:

1. Back-up your system regularly. Set it for automatic, and hopefully during the night so that your computer isn’t slowed down while it backs up.  Make this as much a part of running your business as answering e-mails to clients.
2. Test that back-up. Just as important as backing up your system is knowing how to retrieve that information. It does differ on the type of back-up you perform.  Test this out, before you need it.  Also, write out complete instructions on how to restore backed up data and include this in your Disaster Plan. When you are stressed during a crisis, you need things as step-by-step and easy as possible.  If you’ve already written complete instructions, you’ll be amazed how easy this can be.
3. Save a back-up copy offsite. It’s as easy as having a family member take your back-up CDs to work, or having a flash drive. I just feel better knowing that my hard work is going to be there when I get back, even if the unthinkable happened while I was away. I also use Carbonite so that I have a virtual back-up.  It’s only $50 a year and so worth it!
4. Do regular virus scans. Many feel that because they have a virus program that will alert them if a virus comes in via e-mail, they are safe.  That could well be.  However, I feel so much better after doing a virus scan and it telling me I’m AOK.  Also, set this for automatic as well.
5. For important e-mails, copy and paste them into your word processing program. It takes a little extra effort, but can be easily done.  Also, download files as soon as they arrive.

It’s also important to have a disaster recovery plan.  It’s easier than you think and should be done the same as your marketing and business plans.

Here are some tips for that:

1. Business Continuity Plan – Plan ahead for all aspects of your business.  It’s important to write down all your client contact information, where back-ups are stored, who your subcontractors are, the work normally done, etc.  When you think about it, if something were to happen tomorrow, how good would you feel if you knew your clients, subcontractors, and business operations would be taken care of.  It just provides the peace of mind you need.
2. While you’re writing, include a breakdown of family members, phone contacts, close relatives with complete contact information.   We recommend additionally putting this on a 3 x 5 card for your younger children.  And honestly, this isn’t just for us Floridians who experience hurricanes.  The unexpected weather over the past months should tell you of the importance of this.
3. Keep an inventory of all your business furnishings, business equipment, software programs, passwords, etc. Also, keep receipts and photos. You’ll be amazed how once you do this and have it set up, it’s automatic when you get something new.  You simply add it to your recovery plan.  I make copies of all receipts and simply add it to an envelope in my plan.
4. Insurance information. Write down all your policies and coverage.  In addition to having this information if you did need to file a claim, it also helps to see if you have enough coverage.
5. Medical information. The well being of yourself and family is of utmost importance.  You need to write down all of you and your family’s medicines, doctors, medical conditions, etc.  This section can literally save your life. Don’t forget to include drug dosages.  Now you’re wondering why this is part of a business disaster recovery plan.  But when you think about it, aren’t you the most important part of your business.  That’s why this is so critical.

I hope you have found these tips helpful.  Prepare now and have peace and security for years to come

Diana Ennen is President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com, specializing in publicity and marketing.  Ennen is also the co-author of The Home Office Recovery Plan:  Disaster Preparedness for Your Home-Based Business.  Article is free to be reprinted as long as author’s bio remains.

If you’d like a sample copy of the Home Office Recovery Plan … email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com

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So You Want to Start a Business – Six Steps to Help You Succeed

When starting a business the first step is easy. Before we do anything else we must simply decide to begin. Every decision following that one tends to be more difficult. However, we have a few tips to help get your started down the path to starting your dream business.

1. Choose the right business.
   If you know you want to start a business, but aren’t sure what business is a good fit for you, don’t lose heart. Take stock of what types of things you love to do, skills that you bring to table and things you would do in life even when you aren’t paid (volunteer work, for example).  Make a list using all of these things and then look for a theme running through them all.  If you can find the theme, chances are you’re on the right path to fin ding a business that’s a good fit for you.
2. Set a timeline.
   Once you’ve made a decision as to what business you’ll start, you need to start setting goals. Begin with the end – pick a date for when you’d like to be up and running. Then make a list of what needs to be done to make that happen and set goal dates for each item on the list.
3. Get a plan.
   A business plan may sound like a whole lot of work for minimal rewards, but in actuality it will save you a good deal of time and effort later. Putting a plan together helps you keep focused and allows you to cut out things that aren’t a fit for where you’re headed. Search online for business plan examples and ideas and create one unique to you.
4. Get help.
   None of us is a one-woman show. We may run our businesses on our own, yet all of us have people that mentor us (either formally or informally), people that we can turn to with questions. Make a list of people you can call on for different areas of expertise. Having these people in your rolodex now will save you stress when trouble comes – and it will eventually.
5. Outsource
   One thing new business owners often make a mistake doing is trying to do everything themselves. Yes, it may cost to bring in help, but even a few hours a week can make a huge difference in the time you will have as a business owner to do the actual business of growing your business. There are other possibilities, too, such as swapping and bartering for Virtual Assistant services. Be creative and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
6. Make it happen.
   Once you have a plan in place, you must take the plunge. Dreaming, planning and list-making are all great things, but without action nothing will come of them. What needs to be done to get your business off the ground? Do it!

You can see how easy it is to start your own business.  We also recommend that you read as much as you can to learn all you can.

Jill Hart, Founder of Christian Work-at-Home Moms http://www.cwahm.com/ and Diana Ennen, President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/ have teamed up to write So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom: A Christian’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business http://www.soyouwanttobeawahm.com/.  Start or expand your business today with their help.  Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.

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We are thrilled to represent Linda Siniscal and her new book, Article Ease!  Your One-Week Blueprint to Article Submissions.  Awesome book with great advice on not only writing your articles, but distributing them out as well.   I highly recommend it for all you Virtual Assistants who do article marketing and for other businesses who want to master article marketing.  http://tinyurl.com/44l59ag

Have a great week!

Diana Ennen / www.virtualwordpublishing.com @dianaennen

P.S.  Don’t forget to stop by my blog at www.dianaennen.com

P.S.S.  We love those referrals.  Please do keep them coming!

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(April 8, 2011)

What a week!  Amanda got her license and went to districts in tennis at her school (oh yeah and then there’s that new boyfriend).  Jeremy got a big promotion at his job.  And Amber .. well Amber is just Amber … nothing new to report this week (which is a good thing.)

I’m so proud of my kids.  And I know every mom feels this way, but it’s my hope that I’ve had just a little part of this.   (We can dream right!) Having worked at home their entire lives, I treasure the fact that when they walk in the door every day, I’m here.  When they forget their lunch money or student ID, I’m there to take it to them.  And when they introduce me to new people, they have a big smile and say, “That’s my mom.  She’s an author and publicist and gets to work at home.  She can sell anything.”  (That’s a direct quote!)   AAHHH, anyone with teenagers can relate to the fact that those comments are so not the norm, but sure feels good when they come.

I try hard to instill in my kids that hard work pays off.  They see me working.  They see me passionately talking about my wins and losses for the week.  And they see me happy.  It’s been 25 years and I can truly tell you that it’s just as fun and just as exciting today as it was in the beginning.  My hope is you feel the same way.  You are enjoying your business just as much.  If not, let’s talk.  Tell me what is holding you back?  What is it that is getting in the way.  Email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com and let’s see what we can do about it.
I think you’ll enjoy this weeks tips on creating a Google Adword campaign.  I am having such success with the ones I’m doing now for myself and clients.
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Creating a Google Adword Campaign – It’s Easier Than You Think!

I’m asked frequently by clients or potential clients is a Google Adword Campaign really worth it?  So often I’m able to say to them, well how did you hear about me?  So many say, “Oh yeah, from Google when I looked for publicist or a publicity virtual assistant.  I just love it when they can see it in action as opposed to me just saying it. So bottom line – it works!
But it’s important to know that you have to do it right.  If not, you can spend a small fortune and get little results and we don’t want that.  Hopefully these tips should help.

Everything works together to make it successful.  First you need to have the right ad, the right keywords, the right amount of money for each keyword so that it you get on the front page, and the right amount of luck!

What I recommend you doing first is to look under your keywords and see what other ads are there.  Or look under a topic that really interests you and you know a lot about.  What ads are on the side there that would interest you enough to click on?  Also, just start paying attention to the ads over the next few weeks.  Every time you type in Google, just glance over there.  That can be a tremendous tool is helping you compose your ads.

Now when you sign up for a Google Adword campaign it walks you right through the steps.  What I do, and just personal preference here, but anytime it asks for “automatic” or manual – I go manual.  I want to have full control of my keyword rates, etc.

You set your default rate for keywords.  I normally go for around 30 cents.  I know I will need to change upwards for individual keywords, but I want any low ranking keywords to be at the lowest rate.  I normally go up to $1.00 a keyword, but not much more.  Some can go up as high as $15.00.  (YIKES, yes you heard that right!) Now with those high-ranking keywords, I won’t use them in my Google campaign, but I will use them in my other marketing.  If it’s that popular of a keyword, I’ll write an article with that in the title.  I’ll blog with tips on that topic again using it in the title, and I’ll add it to my website, etc.  Google Adwords is great to help you do some major SEO.

Have a strong ad.  Make sure to include your keywords.  Capture them with that title.  This is what is going to sell them.  Again, once you have reviewed others that can give you some tips.  Also, read as much as you can on creating Google Adword campaigns by simply doing a Google search on that topic.  Now not all of it is terrific advice.  But you will start seeing some common demoninators in its success.  Also, when you sign up for Google for the first time they offer you training.  Take it!

You set your daily budget. The higher the better.  But remember this can add up substantially.  Go with what you can afford.  Also, for those that are doing it for the first time .. see if you can find a coupon.  For example, on Alexa.com on the site it has a link for $75.00 to be used towards your Google Campaign.  That’s free money that you can now use to finetune your campaign.  They hope you find it so successful that you continue, and more times than most, I believe most will do that.

You can see it’s not that hard.  But one thing to remember you want to constantly monitor that ad.  That’s what makes it so successful.

Diana Ennen is the President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com offering PR and marketing services. She has been featured on Fox Business News, CBS, CNN Radio, USA Today, Woman’s World, Entrepreneur Magazine and so many more.  She’s also the author of six books on starting your own business including VA the Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA, and So You Want to be a Work-at-Home Mom. Article is free to use as long as bio remains.
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If you would like help with your Google Adword campaign, let’s set up a coaching call.  My special is $50.00 for 45 minutes for this.  I’ll walk you through so you can see how to do it yourself and also get the most out of each campaign. Email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com
Have a great week!
Diana Ennen / www.virtualwordpublishing.com @dianaennen

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(March 21, 2011)

Hi guys!

Well the kids are back to school today.  Last week was spring break (for us at least.)  We started the week out doing one of my favorite things, camping!  Went down to the Keys and it was gorgeous.  We got to do a little canoeing, hiking, and good ole’ eating by the campfire.  I just loved it.

When my husband and I first met we went camping a lot.  Back then we wanted to do as primative as possible.  No electricity- Nothing but a tent and the bare essentials.  Funny how it changes throughout the years (and with the addition of kids.)  This time we not only had electricity, but we had flood lights that we could plug in so that we could light our area (and play cards). Our days of roughing it on the ground were replaced with airbeds and a three room tent.  And the single most indicator that we were no longer those people is … both days we ran to Winn Dixie to grab a few things we forgot or just wanted to make it more exciting.  Oh yeah, camping at its finest! LOL

Anyway, I hope you all had an awesome vacation too if your kids were home!

See below for a few photos.  And hopefully I’ll be sharing our video soon.

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Paid Releases — Are they Worth it?

This week we are going to discuss Paid Press Releases – and if they are worth it.  Here’s my thoughts.

Last week eReleases had a special.  $259.00 for a 500 word release distributed out.  Plus you got two distribution places as opposed to one.  One of my clients, decided to give it a go.  The results.  AWESOME.

What’s great with going with the paid submission sites is that you will have the opportunity to reach others you might not have been able to reach before.  Not only did we receive over 200 media hits on ABC stations, FOX stations, local parenting journals, etc., but our local newspapers and TV stations picked it up.

This allowed us to get on the top pages of Google with our keywords and a ton of exposure.

Also, best yet, we had a major site contact us for a review copy of the book.  That alone is enough to warrant a huge success.  What’s good with these is when you are pitching to sites and reporters, you are asking them for something.  When they come to you, they are already interested.  The release has peaked their interest and they want additional information.

And, once we got all this media coverage, then we get to take advantage of our social bookmarketing and social networking efforts and spread the word even more.

Here’s one of the pick-ups.  This is a local FOX station.

http://www.wflx.com/Global/story.asp?S=14268928

This is just one example.  And I have so many others.  So bottom line, whenever you can go with a paid submission – it’s so worth it.

Love to hear your comments and thoughts.

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(March 11, 2011)

Hi guys

It’s the weekend! Yeah. I hope you all have a great one.

This week I want to discuss your marketing plan again. It can be your blueprint to success and so often the last thing we consider. I know, who has time to create a plan? We need to be out there marketing, we NEED clients, etc. I so know how you feel. But I want to encourage you to take some time and work on this.

This week I had someone tell me that once they heard my marketing plan class and reviewed my handout, they realized just how ineffective their marketing was. You see once they actually wrote down what they were doing, they were able to see what they were doing wrong. They had been so busy marketing, that they hadn’t taken the time to review what they were doing and whether or not it was effective.

So start small. Take it slowly. Even if you start by jotting down at the end of the week what you have done marketing that week and your plan for next week, it’s a step in the right direction.

But let’s do this. Let’s create that marketing plan so you can get more clients.

Here’s an article I think you might find beneficial. And please do share your tips too.

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So You Want To Create A Marketing Plan:

Six Tips To Make It Happen

A marketing plan outlines the basics for how you want to market your business. Your marketing plan helps you establish, direct and coordinate your marketing efforts. It’s your roadmap for success. Your marketing plan allows you to understand your customer base, better determine exactly how products or services will benefit those clients, and create a plan to market to those clients. Below are tips to get you started creating a marketing plan that will help you grow your business effectively:

1. Outline your marketing goals. Make sure to include any research or information that supports your marketing plan. For example, keep a notebook that has all applicable keywords, research for new sites to connect with, and business contacts.
2. Outline a specific time-frame for completion of your goals. If you don’t layout a timeline for your goals, you will be much more likely to reach them.
3. Make a list of all of your marketing plans. Each time a new idea comes to you, add it to your list.
4. Plan out your budget. Know how much you have available so that you can be sure to spend it wisely. Be clear here on where you will spend your advertising dollars. Don’t just tell yourself, “I have $XXX for marketing.” Instead, be specific. “I have $100 for paid press releases.” or “I have $40 for a Google Adwords campaign.”
5. Think through how you will handle the clients/customers who respond to your marketing attempts. Too many make this mistake. They market and ask questions later. A client calls and wants additional information on their services and they are like ‘now what do I do.” We want to have you so that when that potential client calls, it runs like clockwork!
6. Make a list of any/all the marketing you’ve done in the past. Note next to each item on the list whether or not the marketing attempt was a success or failure and why.

By taking each of these steps you will find yourself well on the path to an effective marketing plan.

Jill Hart, Founder of Christian Work-at-Home Moms http://www.cwahm.com/ and Diana Ennen, President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/ have teamed up to write So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom: A Christian’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business http://www.soyouwanttobeawahm.com/. Start or expand your business today with their help. Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.

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If you have tips you’d like to share, we’d love to have them. Please email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com. Or if you have questions you’d like addressed in the newsletter.

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Here’s the audio on – Marketing Your Small Business Teleseminar with Diana Ennen and Jill Hart

Have a great week!

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(February 7, 2011)

Hi guys

Was that some Superbowl or what?  No matter what team you were for, I hope you enjoyed it.  We had our annual SuperBowl party.  Lots of good food and fun.  I try and make it more exciting by having little contests throughout the game.  For example, whoever picks what commercial will air first each break wins a Lottery Scratch off.  It’s all the little things that make it fun.  (Kind-of like your business too!)

I hope you are enjoying my weekly PR tips.  I’d love to hear from you.  If you have ideas on topics, or just thoughts on how we can improve, please email me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com.

This week we continue with our social media training.  Here goes …

I so often hear businesses say just how does it work.  I just don’t get it. How can you get clients from social media?  Hopefully this will help.

Social media helps you

• Establish yourself as an expert.  Then when someone says I need a (press release writer or a virtual assistant), they immediately think of you.
• It enables you to connect with those who you never would have came in contact with.  That’s why it’s so important to always provide good tips and engage.  When people retweet (RT) your tweets it goes to their followers.  If those followers also agree that the information is beneficial, they will start contacting you as well. (Make sure to keep your tweets to 120 characters, even though you can have 140. It allows for easy retweeting.)
• You get to announce your teleseminars, events, blog postings, etc.  For example, when marketing my PR success series, I posted it to Facebook and twitter.  Once immediately after sending out the tweet, I got notification of an order.  Now that’s how it works.  Just make sure that you don’t overdo it.  People don’t want to feel spammed by you.
• It allows you to provide excerpts of your book, create contests, etc.
• You get to have fun and make friends.  Remember that social media is “social.”  Be sure to let people see your fun side sometimes.

Thought you’d enjoyed this article again.  Regular subscribers might have seen this before, but we have so many new subscribers I wanted to resend it.  Please feel free to use it.

Social Networking Changed Everything – The New Marketing & PR Model

It’s pretty obvious that the marketing of today has changed.  You have newspapers going virtual/web only, Twitter and Facebook replacing postcards and phone calls, and potential clients now being the main target of your press releases as opposed to editors.  It’s all changing and to do PR today, you need to change with it.  The good news is that it’s never been easier. The bad news, you need to learn a new way to do things. Fortunately, there are tips that can make it easier and I’m here to show you a few.

First, no one can deny the power of social networking.  And those that do are just plain wrong. I’ve been in business since 1985 and I liken this to way back when emails became a way of life.  Many still contended they wanted to do it the old fashioned way and nothing would beat a letter. (I know it’s hard to even imagine this today.) It wasn’t long until they realized their error, but by then their competition was way ahead of them. Don’t make the same mistake now.  You absolutely need to get with it and get on board. I can practically guarantee you within weeks you’ll be hooked and wondering why you ever hesitated. It’s so easy, and the potential so great, you need to start today.

Let’s break it down.  Twitter first.  Forget all the “I don’t care what they ate for lunch excuses,” that’s where your competition and peers are and you do need to be there too. Sure you do have a few tweeters who will update you on the latest hot dog they ate, but that’s rare.  What you do have is more and more businesses networking and connecting with each other in ways never thought possible.  It’s also more than just networking back and forth, you can have chats, host events, get more publicity for your articles and press releases & even announce your seminars and radio shows.  And that’s not even the half of it.  There are entire books written on this, so my first recommendation is to get them.  Why struggle and find your way around when you can easily read the tips from those who know exactly wh at you need to succeed.

Also, while you are getting your feet wet, don’t jump in and start posting and selling and ranting and raving.  Take it slow.  Sign up, take a sit, remain quiet for a short time and read what others are posting.  Follow the leaders in your industry and take advantage of their knowledge.  It can almost feel like walking around with them all day and looking over their shoulders for their secrets.  What’s cool is they give their tips freely, why wouldn’t you want to take advantage of that? As an example, if someone were looking for information on starting a virtual assistant business or getting publicity for their business, they could follow me at Twitter.com/dianaennen

Now the key many forget is that not only do you need to follow them, you need to listen earnestly to what they are saying.  Go to the sites they recommend.  Actually do the things they suggest.  And most importantly, if you have the opportunity to contribute and honestly have something of importance to say, do!  Even if they aren’t following you, once you list their twitter name @name, it will go to them.  Best yet, you might get a retreat or even better a RT and follow back.  As many say, those are the ultimate compliments.

Now it’s important to learn the social media  lingo – Hashtags, Retweets, Fans, Follow Friday, this is just a few of the many names you need to know to do business better.  It can be overwhelming.  No, in fact it is overwhelming.  However, if you keep it simple and take it a step at a time, you can do it.  When you see a term you don’t know, look it up right then.  Write down your interpretation and do the investigating to find out more about it.  Here are just a few to help you on your journey.

What’s a retweet? That’s when you find somone’s information useful and you want to pass it onto your followers.  So basically RT (retweet) is good content that you pass on.  Many RT just to RT. Don’t be one of them. You know your followers and what they want and need, that’s what you should be RT’ing. We highly recommend signing up for TweetDeck for ease in doing this.  A click of a button and you are there.

Also, follow some of the owners of the many article and press release directories who tweet.  Some of the best are on there and giving away secrets to success left and right.

Facebook is pretty self explanatory. The key here is to spend some time to expand your network.  Fortunately you get notices when someone responds to your posts, so try and go and follow-up as soon as you can.  However, be careful that you don’t get sidetracked doing this too often. Build relationships.  You can have thousands of friends and fans, but can you honestly connect to all of them.  I know I sure can’t. Twitter also now allows your tweets to be sent to your Facebook page too.  This is definitely a plus.  Just make sure that you don’t do this to all of your postings, only the ones you feel would interest your friends on Facebook.

Article Submissions, Press Release Submissions - I also say you need to send out articles and press releases religiously.  Many question how some succeed with this and others don’t.  What’s the difference? The main thing is that they know what to do. They realize the difference that page ranking can make and don’t waste their time on sites that don’t get results.  They sign up for Google Alerts under their keywords and then check out the sites that frequently get spidered.  Then they send to those places and add those sites to their database.  We do have a fabulous  PR informational package that is free to anyone who emails us.

Marketing a business and social networking doesn’t have to be expensive if you just remember to network and use all the tools available to you.  In fact, it can be fun as you get to meet new people and develop new ways to sell you and your business.  Also, keep in mind if you don’t want to do it yourself, there are excellent qualified pros and virtual assistants available to assist.  You don’t need to do it all.  You just need to do it!

Diana Ennen, specializes in publicity and marketing and is the President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant the Series: Become a Highly Successful Sought After VA. Ready to jumpstart your PR campaign, then email her at Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com.  Free PR Informational Package available. T witter – http://www.twitter.com/dianaennen . Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.

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Love to hear your social media tips.  Email them to me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com or post on my blog at dianaennen.com.  Next week, I’ll have more social media tips as well.

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PR Success Series -  5 weeks training w/ me on how to get your own PR.  Sign up now.  http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/blank.htm

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Thanks!

Diana Ennen / www.virtualwordpublishing.com @dianaennen

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(January 31, 2011)

Hi guys

This week we are going to focus on social media. I think all your PR and Marketing works better when you master social media too. Why? Because everything you do, you can get more attention from it when you talk about it on facebook, tweet it on Twitter, add it to your blog, etc.

I think you’ll find this article extremely helpful.

So You Want To Master Social Media – Ten Tips to Help You Succeed

It’s official. Social media is here to stay. It’s not a fad like so many initially thought and it isn’t going anywhere soon. Businesses have realized that not only is it a great way to connect with current clients, but a great way to land potential clients as well. And that’s only the beginning. Social media also allows you to promote all your upcoming events and products, and even gives you front row access to editors and reporters who might write on your area of expertise. The possibilities are truly endless. But the big question now is, how can entrepreneurs best use the current social media opportunities to help increase business? Here are some tips we feel will help.

Ten tips to incorporate social media into your marketing plan:

1. Determine What Social Media Sites Are Best For You. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the top three, but that’s only the beginning. Determine who your target market is and then meet them where they are. It’s okay to ask by taking a survey by email or on your website asking which social media avenue your clients prefer. Once you determine that, be consistent and realize that you can’t be everywhere all the time. Pick the ones that are best for your business and really engage.
2. Team Up With Other Entrepreneurs. By teaming up, you allow easy access to retweets, Facebook posts, etc. Plus, it’s a great way to provide your audience with more valuable information on topics that would interest them by sharing information that is provided by the business(es) you team up with. Just make sure that your choose teammates with information that is a good fit for your audience.
3. Don’t Just Advertise, Build Relationships. We’ve all seen them. The tweets and Facebook postings that we know are scheduled and we know are only trying to sell us something. We aren’t saying that you can’t promote your services or products. In fact, we encourage you to do that. But do it right. Don’t just be about landing the deal. Truly connect with your audience and show them why they would want to work with you. We know you’ve heard it a million times already, but it speaks for itself and bears repeating: Social media is meant to be “social.”
4. Make It a Two-Way Street. You post and you post and you post on Facebook. You’ve tweeted away on Twitter & you’ve updated your status on Linkedin. Finally you’re done. Social marketing is ready to be checked off the list. Not so fast! Realize that just like you are posting there are others out there posting and building relationships as well. Get out there and respond to others, too. When you think about it, how do you feel when someone posts on your Facebook posting or blog entry? It feels good, doesn’t it? When you see a Facebook posting that you like leave a comment – always making sure you add value and are not just promoting your business.
5. Make It Exciting. We see this often: business owners on Twitter who get on for 20-minute increments and during that time we are inundated with retweets. They will throw in an occasional tip or two, but basically it’s just 20 minutes of nonsense. Now we love a good retweet, but we don’t enjoy this at all. When you are marketing your business via social media, make sure that you engage with others and make it exciting. Give some good information and tips – don’t just retweet to be seen. Provide great value and your followers will not only enjoy your messages, but when they are looking to refer someone who needs your services, you will be on the top of the list.
6. Learn From Others. One of the best things about being in business these days is that you have the opportunity to follow the pros and see what they are doing right. They eagerly give out tips, videos, etc. Make it a point to follow those who you respect and can learn from. Sit back and take notes. But more importantly, take the action steps necessary to make these points work. It’s more than learning from them, you need to actually do what they recommend as well.
7. Contribute to Other Networks. Another great aspect of social media is getting your message out to more than just your audience. Offer to guest post for other networks in your area of expertise. You never know who may see your posts and become a client.
8. Create An Expert Status. Why do people follow you? Many times it is because they see you as the best at what you do and they want to learn from you. Therefore it’s important to always give solid tips and advice to really show your expertise. Create high quality blog postings, tips lists and posts to share with your audience. It may take extra time to create high quality work, but the effort will be well worth it in the end.
9. Spruce Up Your Page. Social media has come a long way in a short time. No more are you limited to a tiny avatar of your logo. Most of the social networking sites today allow you to fully customize your page with images, backgrounds and more. Spend the time to create a page that will draw in your audience and make them want to come back daily.
10. Be respectful. One of the things that most business owners value most is time. It’s important when you are on Facebook, Twitter and the other networks, that you be respectful of others’ time. A few ways you can do that: Don’t Expect An Instant Response. Sending an Instant Message (IM) to a colleague or respected leader is fine, but recognize that they may not be able to chat with you immediately. Often times that person has allocated a certain amount of time to be on the site. If they are constantly on an IM, they can’t get what they need done. We’re not saying you can’t IM, but be respectful when you do.
11. Don’t Take Advantage. Social media is a relationship builder and gives us instant access to industry leaders. However, be careful not to take advantage of someone’s goodwill by asking a zillion questions. Most business owners enjoy helping others, however, to provide personalized coaching is a different story. Always respect the person you are communicating with and we bet you’ll find you get way more back than you ever imagined.

See how easy social media is. When done right it can bring amazing results for your business. Not only will you establish yourself as an expert, but you will be promoting your products and services regularly. Make it a commitment to master social media marketing and we promise you next year at this time, you’ll be so glad you did.

Jill Hart, Founder of Christian Work-at-Home Moms http://www.cwahm.com/ and Diana Ennen, President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/ have teamed up to write So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom: A Christian’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business http://www.soyouwanttobeawahm.com/. Start or expand your business today with their help. Article is free to be reprinted as long as bio remains.

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Love to hear your social media tips. Email them to me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com or post on my blog at dianaennen.com. Next week, I’ll have more social media tips as well.

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Still time to sign up for the PR Success Series. It starts this Wednesday. It’s recorded so if you can’t make the call, not to worry it’s recorded. I’ll make you a PR pro in no time!

PR Success Series – starts on February 1st. It’s going to be rock’n. 5 weeks training w/ me on how to get your own PR. We meet on Wednesdays for an hour, but the class is recorded so you can listen anytime. Only $169.00 for 5 weeks of extensive PR training guaranteed to help you get more skilled in PR.

As an added bonus, all those who sign up today get a free 45 minute extensive coaching call with me. Can be redeemed anytime during the 5 week training.

Sign up now. http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/blank.htm

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Thanks!

Diana Ennen / www.virtualwordpublishing.com @dianaennen

P.S. Don’t forget to stop by my blog at www.dianaennen.com

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(January 17, 2011)

Hi guys

Can you believe we are into Week #3 already of our PR training?  I hope you’ve gotten a lot out of it and continue to do so.

This week we are discussing press release distribution.  What’s great is that this can help you with that new press release you just wrote, but also for any old press releases you’ve written and perhaps just haven’t sent out yet or only sent to a few places.  I highly recommend if the material is still revelant (and that’s important, can’t send out a Christmas release now) that you send it out to some of the places I’m providing below.

Don’t forget our free call on writing a press release is next Monday – January 24th at 11:00 a.m. EST.  Sign up at http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/blank.htm

Also, our PR Success Series starts again on February 1st.  It’s going to be rock’n.  5 weeks training w/ me on how to get your own PR.  We meet on Wednesdays for an hour, but the class is recorded so you can listen anytime. Topics include, writing & distributing press releases and articles, pitching the media, creating a media kit, developing your marketing plan and a whole hour of my PR Secrets.  I’m keeping the price extremely affordable so that all can join.  Only $99.00.  Sign up now. http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/blank.htm

Thanks!

Diana Ennen / www.virtualwordpublishing.com @dianaennen

P.S.  Don’t forget to stop by my blog at www.dianaennen.com

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Press Release Distribution Tips –

You’ve written it – your press release. (And if you missed the last few weeks on writing a press release you can find it here:  http://dianaennen.com/newsletter/. Now it’s time to send it out.  Here are my tips:

• Always convert your press release to notepad before submitting it out.
• Create a powerful summary (that includes your keywords, but also really entices someone to want to read the release) as well as great keywords.  Do a keyword search always before sending out a release.  You want the best keywords that will attract your target audience.
• I always recommend submitting to free (below) and some paid sites.  Go for as many paid ones as you possibly can.
• The Google Page Ranking Matters.  The better the page ranking of the site, the better the backlink you will receive and also the most likely people will see your release.
• Develop a targeted database unique to your business & constantly add to that database.  This is your gold.  Whenever the site provide it check stats to make sure that the releases are being approved and also to see the ones that gets the most views.
• Do a Google search under your topic.  What sites show up on first few pages?  Those are usually good and you will want to add them to your database and submit to them.
• Follow the proper guidelines.  Whatever the site states to do, do that.
• Make sure you classify the release into the appropriate category. For example, don’t just list under Business – Do Business – Entrepreneurs, etc.
• Always include a picture or logo whenever that option is given.
• If you have video, include that as well.
• If they offer social media connections, take advantage of that.  Yes you want to have it tweeted when you submit, etc.

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PR sites I recommend

Ideamarketers.com	http://www.ideamarketers.com
MediaSyndicate.com	http://www.mediasyndicate.com/
ClickPress	http://www.clickpress.com/
SanePr	http://www.sanepr.com
Big News Biz	http://bignews.biz
Business Portal 24	http://www.businessportal24.com/en
PR Inside	http://www.pr-inside.com
PR-USA net	http://www.pr-usa.net
Power Home Biz	Htttp://www.powerhomebiz.com
i-newswire.com	http://i-newswire.com/submit_free.php
Press-Network	press-network.com
24-7 Press Release (paid)	www.24-7pressrelease.com
Article 99.com (Article)	http://www.article99.com/
Online PR News	http://www.onlineprnews.com
OpenPR	http://www.openpr.com
E World Wire (Paid)	http://www.eworldwire.com/
PR-USA.net	http://www.pr-usa.net
Email Wire	http://www.emailwire.com
NewsWireToday	http://www.newswiretoday.com
Press About	http://www.pressabout.com
FV News Wire	http://www.fvnewswire.com/
Web Wire (paid) (Recommended)	http://www.webwire.com
MediaSyndicate.com	http://www.mediasyndicate.com/
Online Press Releases (paid)	http://www.onlinepressreleases.com
PR.com (paid)	http://www.pr.com/
PR Leap (Paid)	http://www.prleap.com/
Malebits	http://www.malebits.com/
PR  Window	http://www.prwindow.com/
PR Zoom	http://www.przoom.com/
PR9.net	http://www.pr9.net/
NewsBlaster	http://www.newsblaster.com
PR Lead	http://www.prleap.com
Widespreadpr	http://www.widespreadpr.com/
Pressmethod.com	http://www.pressmethod.com/
The Open Press	http://www.theopenpress.com
Prnewswire (paid)	http://www.prnewswire.com/
Prweb (paid)	https://secure.dataovation.com/prweb/login.php
PressBox Co.	http://www.pressbox.co.uk/cgi-bin/links/add.cgi
SBWire.com  (paid)	http://www.sbwire.com/
Newswire today	http://www.newswiretoday.com
Press Release Spider	http://www.pressreleasespider.com
Pr inside	http://www.pr-inside.com
PR Canada	http://www.pr-canada.net
PR Article	http://www.prarticle.com
Press Release Point	www.pressreleasepoint.com
Transworldnews	www.transworldnews.om
Usanews (paid)	http://www.usanews.net/submit/archives_post.htm
Local News Biz	http://www.localnews.biz
PRBD	http://www.prbd.net
Exact Release (Paid)	http://www.exactrelease.com
Pitch Engine	http://www.pitchengine.com
Live-Pr	http://www.live-pr.com/en/
Official Wire (Paid)	http://www.officialwire.com/
LadyPRNewswire (Paid)	http://ladyprnewswire.ning.com/page/pricing-2
12 Press Release	http://www.12pressrelease.com/?page_id=3

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Again — To help even more … I’m going to be hosting a FREE call on how to write a press release.  I’ll be discussing everything you need to write a killer press release

The call will be held Monday January 24th at 11:00 a.m. EST.  It will be recorded in case you can’t make the call.  Sign up at www.virtualwordpublishing.com/blank.htm — Please tell a friend!

Okay, I want to start seeing some of those press releases out there!  Let me know if you have any questions. Don’t forget I offer PR Coaching.  Want me to personally walk you through writing your release, then email me.

Thanks!  Have a great week.

Diana Ennen

Virtual Word Publishing / www.virtualwordpublishing.com / diana@virtualwordpublishing.com

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Hi guys

I had such a great response to this PR challenge. Congratulations to all that are writing a release now. It’s been great talking with you and hopefully today’s tips will help even more.

I’m also going to be hosting a free call on January 24th at 11:00 a.m. EST to help too. I’m be giving away some of my best Press Release Writing Secrets and how to information. Sign up at http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/blank.htm

Remember i’m here to help. Contact me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com with questions. Also, if you’d like me to write the release for you, just let me know. For newsletter subscribers I’m giving a special rate of only $225.00.

Thanks!

Diana Ennen / www.virtualwordpublishing.com @dianaennen

P.S. Don’t forget to stop by my blog at www.dianaennen.com

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Press Release Marketing Secrets

Press releases capture the attention of your audience, whether it’s a local reporter, potential client, current clients, etc. An aggressive press release campaign can be one of your best assets in business. It can be one of the best ways to get cost-effective PR to promote your business, products, etc.

It not only gets you out there as an expert, but it rocks your SEO results and backlinks. Go ahead and do a search on Diana Ennen in Google, can you see what all came back? You can do this too.

TIPS FOR BETTER PRESS RELEASES

• Make every word count. Content is kind. Read it and then go back and reread it, cutting out unnecessary words.
• You want to make your content relevant, fresh, informative, newsworthy, current, and searchable.
• You hear newsworthy all the time. That means – make sure it is of interest to your targeted audience.
• Don’t just do a press release to do a press release. Offer great value and information.
• Don’t just tell what your product does, instead tell how you are solving problems or creating solutions.
• Clients are more likely to type in or even read a press release if it is on point for what they are looking for. Therefore, know … what exactly is my client looking for and how can my services or products provide that.
• Announce interesting news. Think about special events you can tie your release to
• Introduce new products, services, achievements
• Present a story. Share a success story. Were you just featured in a national magazine, then tell people about it.
• What special events or news stories out there that you can tie your release to?
• How about a big milestone in your business. For example, this year I’m celebrating 25 years in business. I think that deserves a release.
• If you are promoting a book consider writing a release on: your book, any great reviews you received, a book tour or book signing, any speaking engagements you have up and coming, any radio appearances, etc. Also, tie in your book to any current topics.
• If you are promoting an online store, consider holiday sales, new noteworthy additions, recent press you’ve received, how your products benefit clients, etc.
• It’s important when writing a press release that you write to your target audience. You know your audience best, speak to them and tell them what they need to know.
• Be informative. Tell facts or inform on the subject you are writing about.
• Use an active voice, not a passive voice. (Go get ‘em)
• Make sure it’s totally newsworthy, repeat newsworthy. (I know I said that before, but it bears repeating. You need to NOT be an ad.)
• Make sure your release is keyword driven & do a keyword search analysis first. Not sure what keywords to use, email me for help.
• When appropriate include: Who, What, When, Where, How of the story.
• Add quotes and stats to support your release.
• When using hyperlinks to your site, make sure you include the http://
• Write regularly. Make it a part of your marketing campaign. Don’t be a one-hit wonder.
• Give away a free sample or special report. People love freebies. However, make sure that the freebie sells you well. An unprofessional freebie can actually do more damage.
• Don’t use too much Industry-specific jargon. It’s okay to use some, but make sure you explain it.
• Be careful about abbreviations. You might know what that abbreviation means, but others might not. – Make sure to explain it well. For example, Virtual Assistant (VA).
• Add keywords in the first few words of the title.
• Make sure your release is accurate. Proof, reproof, and reproof again. One more time just for the fun of it.
• Always send locally and add in local keywords
• Add your press release to your website, blog, newsletter, Twitter, etc. Get the most exposure you can.
• Have a professionally taken photo available. Many journalists will request this and a bio after they express an interest in your story. Also, you need this for when you when you submit online.

PRESS RELEASE FORMAT: (Just a reminder)

Contact – Name, website, email, phone, cell phone (make sure it’s correct)

Title – Make sure it wows them enough to want to read more. (Normally around 80 characters).

Subtitle (optional)

Dateline – City, State (Date) –

First paragraph – Enticing. Wheel ‘em in – the first paragraph should tell the main story, the rest will elaborate more on it.

Body of Release – 2 to 3 Paragraphs

Last Paragraph – Call to ACTION – Important, what do you want them to do from this release

About the Company … Landing the deal

300 to 650 words / One Page ONLY

• Avoid “I”, use third person whenever possible. When you want to use “first person” add it into your quotes.
• Avoid too many explanation marks. You don’t need to have that much emphasis.
• Always convert from Word to Notepad when submitting online.

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Again — To help even more … I’m going to be hosting a FREE call on how to write a press release. I’ll be discussing everything you need to write a killer press release

The call will be held Monday January 24th at 11:00 a.m. EST. It will be recorded in case you can’t make the call. Sign up at www.virtualwordpublishing.com/blank.htm — Please tell a friend!

Press releases you sent in … thank you. Keep ‘em coming!

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PRESS RELEASE EXAMPLE:

Marilyn Stafford
Alliance Virtual Services

http://www.alliancevs.com

marilyn@alliancevs.com
479-236-0490

Virtual Assistant Business Provides Affordable Support in a Tough Economy

Fayetteville, AR (September 27, 2010) – Given the pressures of today’s economy, businesses everywhere are re-evaluating the company’s business model to find new ways to gain a competitive edge. For small business owners, entrepreneurs, and other independent professionals, that competitive edge may be found in the form of a professional support provider known as a virtual assistant.

A virtual assistant (VA) is a highly-skilled professional who offers a wide range of support services to a variety of businesses. The ability to work remotely, utilizing effective communication technologies, is a key factor in the rising popularity of the VA industry. This unique feature allows VAs to office anywhere and have a client base that can span the globe. One company capitalizing on this new business paradigm is Alliance Virtual Services (AVS),
http://www.alliancevs.com, which offers administrative services to small businesses, as well as other support services that are specific to authors, coaches and speakers. By offering these services, AVS is able to provide clients with more time to focus on activities that generate revenue and ultimately add to the company’s business growth.

Marilyn Stafford, president of AVS, recently stated “Outsourcing administrative responsibilities is becoming a significant contributor to the long-term success of businesses of every size, in every market. For small businesses, it can truly make a difference in just how quickly profitability is realized.”

For most small businesses, operating with limited resources is only one of the many challenges faced on a daily basis. These businesses juggle several things at once while working to establish business, grow client base, and increase productivity. With an estimated 15% or more of every work week spent on non-revenue generating activities, businesses are often drained of time, energy and money. Partnering with AVS offers an excellent alternative for handling the overload. And, because the company operates on a contract basis, clients pay only for time devoted specifically to the client company’s operations, which can prove to be a silver lining in the dark clouds of today’s challenging economy.

Whether it’s handling administrative tasks for small businesses, providing research and word processing support to authors, speakers and coaches, or assisting consultants with schedules and travel, AVS works closely with every client to design a service plan that meets the individual needs of the client.

Visit http://www.alliancevs.com to learn more about the company and the services offered. Marilyn Stafford can be contacted directly at marilyn@alliancevs.com or 479-236-0490.

About the Company: AVS offers an array of administrative and other support services to small businesses, entrepreneurs, authors, coaches and speakers. The company operates from a virtual office based in Fayetteville, AR, serving client companies across the United States.

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Next week we will talk on Press Release Distribution. How to send out your press releases. Please do join us again. And keep sending in your press releases.

Don’t forget I offer PR Coaching. Want me to personally walk you through writing your release, then email me.

Thanks! Have a great week.

Diana Ennen

Virtual Word Publishing / www.virtualwordpublishing.com / diana@virtualwordpublishing.com

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Week of January 1st, 2011

Happy New Year! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to really make a difference this year. I learned so much last year and I want to implement all my new things. Just a few things to look for …. more videos … more teleseminars …. more informative blog postings & articles … and more ebooks.

This year we are going to do something a little different here too with our newsletter. Every Monday I’m going to motivate you with a PR tip (or article) and action step. I want you to take this information and then that week actually do it. I’ll give you some pointers on how to do it too in the newsletter. Each week we will concentrate on something else to market our business. For example, this week it is writing a press release, next week press release distribution, then perhaps article writing, distribution, blog postings, etc.

You take the action. Then to help even more and to make it even funner – send me your work so I can post on my blog at dianaennen.com and also post here next week. Now doesn’t that sound like a great way to start the New Year?

This week we start with writing a press release. I want you to start the year out right and get cracking on your first press release of the New Year. Again, send them to me at diana@virtualwordpublishing.com. In the subject line please put – Newsletter – Press release

Need help writing a release, not to worry, that’s what we specialize in. Give me a call at (954) 971-4025 or diana@virtualwordpublishing.com if you’d like me to write one for you.

Alright then .. here we go!

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Steps to a Writing an Effective Press Releases

Want to get the most media attention and spotlight for your business? Then the first place to start is with a great press release.

Here are your essentials:

“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” on the top left of the page.

Your contact name, phone number, e-mail address, and website follows. Double check this. No, triple check this. You don’t want to waste a good release because they can’t get ahold of you.

The headline is next, normally in bold and centered on the page. Summarize what the release is about and capture their attention. Spend almost as much time on your headline as you do writing the release. It’s that important. Make sure to get those valuable keywords in there and hopefully in the first few words.

The press release body starts with the location of the release and the date – Margate, Florida, (January, 2011)

Most press releases are between 400-600 words, and no more than a page. The first paragraph has the most important information. Don’t save the best for last, it won’t get read. Make sure that you explain the title of the release in this first paragraph.

It is recommended that you write press releases in the 3rd person and use short sentences and paragraphs. Do not go over board, trying to dazzle the editor, it won’t work.

Target your release. You will be sending your release to a specific audience so make sure that in your release you keep to what would appeal to that audience. What don’t they know that you can add? Nothing works better than getting an “AAH HAA” when an editor or your buyer reviews your release. Also, keep in mind with the Internet today, that press releases, or news releases as they are now frequently called, are read by your target audience just as much as the editors. The buyers of your products or services are reading this, tell them what they need to know.

Provide statistics. Do some research and find some relevant information that applies. Research and make sure that if you are providing accurate quotes and not from some fly by night company.

Provide a quote from yourself or include relevant quotes from experts in your field that will reinforce what you are saying. You can approach authors, leaders in your Industry, and other experts in your Industry for a quote.

The last paragraph should be your call to action. You’ve talked the whole release about your business or product, now tell them what to do with this knowledge they just got. Too many leave out this vital step.

At the bottom of the release include ### to indicate you are done.

Double check this for accuracy. At this point, you’re tired and done with the Release. Well if it goes out to the world with the wrong web address, you’ve wasted your valuable time even writing the Release.

That’s it. The basics for writing a press release. Now one other thing I’d like to add in, they work. They truly do. You also want to make sure that you submit them out, but that’s another article.

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Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker are the co-authors of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA 4th edition and accompanying Virtual Assistant the Series Workbook, and Virtual Assistant – The Series: Working Virtually, A Guide to Working Remotely as an Employee. Stop by their site for complete information on starting your own VA business http://www.vatheseries.com. Article is free to be reprinted as long as the author’s bio remains intact.

Thanks! Happy New Year to All!

Diana Ennen / www.virtualwordpublishing.com @dianaennen