Small Business Revitalization Blog

Today we're welcoming Guest Blogger Lauren Neilson from ISP Media... enjoy!

YouTube is well known and well used. With something from just about every category you can think of from music, to charity and not-for-profit, through to education - it really does seem to have it all.

Now owned and run by Google, the site has a global reach with the functionality and brand awareness to back it up. But can it help you promote your business, products and services?

YouTube opens up a world of promise for business to promote their products and services, showcase your knowledge and expertise, monitor the success of advertising campaigns, encourage new interest from previously untapped or unreachable markets, enhance your brand awareness and more.

While there is a lot of time and effort involved, the broad ranging benefits of this channel are impressive and extremely cost effective.

It is very easy and free to open a YouTube account; however, you will need a Gmail account to sign up. If you do not have one they will happily walk you through the registration process (also free).

The site is very easy to use and has a familiar social media layout and feel to it. The navigation is clear and easy to follow and you can edit just about everything to suit you, from your colour scheme right through to your home page layout.

How can I use this site to benefit my business?

• Create your own unique channel URL to direct users to that links back to your site and has your unique profile
• Embed your web address on all video files that you upload to guide users to your main site
• Integrate YouTube with your other Social Media tools (Twitter, Facebook)
• Broadcast free training videos to encourage interest in your business
• Embed your video files into your web site or blog
• Showcase your TV advertising in another medium
• Send a video message to clients to complement or introduce your eNewsletter
• Visually launch new products simultaneously with your offline launch
• Promote and showcase your services
• Promote and showcase your products in action
• Promote and showcase yourself
• Broadcast seminar or speaking engagements
• Tag your video files with keywords to increase your searchability
• Categorise your video to make it easier for interested parties to find
• Use the YouTube community as a global focus group
• Get visual testimonials from your clients and put them on your blog and web site
• Discover real time trends in your industry by subscribing to related channels
• Guide clients to your video files anywhere in the world with the click of a mouse
• Encourage people to subscribe to your channel and gain a new audience for your business
• Utilise YouTube’s analytics tool, YouTube Insight, to hone your campaigns
• And if you get really popular, consider selling product placement in your videos

 
If it is a bit much initially, then simply create your free account, beef up your profile and begin engaging with the YouTube community. You can do this through searching, watching, selecting favourites and adding subscriptions to your account. Then when you are ready to launch into video, you will not be the new kid on the block!

I would like to end with a polite warning - this tool has the ability to bend the time space continuum to suck your valuable time into a vortex! It is extremely easy to get lost in space and time with YouTube. Not only is the content intoxicating, it is just a hop, click and a jump over to the myriad of Google tools (toys) and if you are not careful, you can spend hours in the exhilarating maze that is Google!

My hot tip is to treat YouTube and Google (including its ever expanding applications) like your grocery shopping, i.e. only visit the items on your list, follow this rule and you should be able to avoid spending over your allocated time budget every time!



About Lauren:
Lauren Neilson, co-founder of ISP Media - an internet marketing and web development business launched in 2000, has been has been researching,  socialising, blogging, publishing, surfing, writing, commenting and more recently tweeting about internet marketing strategies for over 9 years. You can find Lauren and ISP Media on LinkedIn, Twitter, the ISP Media Blog and most other places where Australian business meets the web! Please feel welcome to get online and get social with Lauren and ISP Media!
Connect here:  Email    Twitter    Blog    Website     LinkedIn - ISP Media     Lauren Neilson's LinkedIn Profile    

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gi/

Two years ago I effectively had a network of about 50 people including my friends – I was shy, introverted and mostly preferred my own company! Not only that, I really didn’t want anyone to see me – I rather liked being invisible!!  Or so I told myself…

Now, my network extends to thousands of people, I’ve become a coach, mentor, author and speaker, and I enjoy personal connections with more phenomenal people than I thought existed!!

What changed?  Firstly I became aware that I could offer so much more to the world if I would follow my bliss.  This bliss is evolving into an enormous vision that will create more joy and ease with people all over the world.

The phenomenal size and intent of my  vision and my commitment to living it daily has allowed me to be as generative, joyful, inspirational, expansive, captivating, and spectacular as I truly be… (and no, it wasn’t a 10 second transformation – it did take a little bit of focus on getting rid of the blocks that had put me in that unblissful disconnected place originally!)

Being that energy of bliss and inspiration and expansiveness has attracted amazing connections for me – neither I nor my business would be what we are today without the contribution of so many people…  When I stopped playing small and insignificant, the universe started delivering big!!

What would it take for you to start living beyond your imagination?  Who could you meet that could transform your life into living and working blissfully?  Who do you need to know that you aren’t connected with yet?

There’s only one way to find out and that’s to start getting connected!  

Online:  LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are fabulous starting points - or particpate in a forum with topics that interest you.
Offline:  Local networking groups, Local MeetUp groups and being the invitation with people you already know will get you started…

Want to connect your business to the people who make a difference online?  The Content Marketing Made Simple Playshop on March 22 will help you design a connection strategy based on your knowledge and expertise!

How do you connect?  What do you find difficult in connecting?  Share your experiences via the comments link below...

Discover new perspectives on generating your business success with ease and joy at the REVIVE Business Coaching Playshop.  In this f*ree one-hour Playshop, you will:

• Become aware of common mistakes business owners are making in the current market and what to do instead!
• Learn 3 creative and cost-effective ways to increase your profits.
• Learn 3 simple strategies for attracting your ideal clients.

This interactive and fun Playshop is designed for small businesses at any stage of development.  Even if you are just thinking of starting a business, the informative style of the Playshop will help you see more possibilities for your business idea!

About the Presenter:
Lisa Murray is a business coach focusing on peak performance, business startups and helping stressed business owners regain control of their life and business. Her holistic techniques help small business owners and others facing major life issues solve their biggest challenges with ease.  Lisa has worked with hundreds of business owners in many different industries.  She has extensive marketing and management experience.

Having experienced severe burn-out, Lisa has also become an expert in work-life balance.  She helps small business owners create the life and business of their dreams through the use of fast, simple and effective techniques which encompass wellbeing, management, marketing and business strategies.

Want to Play?
Date:     Thursday 1 October, 2009
Time:     5.30pm – 6.30pm
Venue:   The Cooper Gallery, 2/235 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville
Cost:     Complimentary

RSVP:  Essential!  Please email Lisa Murray  to confirm the number of people attending, names and business name.  You are welcome to invite other business owners who may be interested!

What would it take for your business to be phenomenal?  (Come to the Revive Coaching Playshop to find out!!)

		Many small business owners ignore the marketing strategy of networking because they don’t see obvious results on the bottom line, or they feel they are just too busy to invest the time that networking requires.  Here’s 3 quick tips on how to leverage your networking investment and maximize the results:

1.    Define your networking objectives clearly.
‘Getting some leads’ is not a clear objective.  Consider the following instead:
•    Make contact with at least three people who want to know more about what I do
•    Meet someone who can ……….(fill in the gap – what do you need to make your business work better right now?)
•    Find at least two opportunities for joint ventures or promotional partnerships…
Now that you know exactly ‘who’ you are looking for, networking is going to start working for you!!

2.    Follow up!!!
By this I do not mean collect as many cards as you can and add them to your database without asking!!!  Be strategic in your follow-ups:
•    Write notes on the back of the person’s business card if you need to follow up in any way.  Do what you promised within 48 hours.
•    Set up an automated process on your website where you can enter their details into your database – BUT you give them the choice to opt-in!  I actually share an example ezine with my prospects to entice them to sign-up.
•    Be willing to explore.  I often have coffee with people I’ve met just to explore what the possible opportunities are – a quick brainstorm can lead to outstanding profit generating projects!

3.    Measure your networking returns
If you don’t know what you get out of networking events, it’s time to start measuring the return on your marketing investment for each event that you attend.  
•    Set up a simple spreadsheet that notes investment of both time and money, the follow-ups and the outcomes.
•    Measure the returns on any joint promotions that you undertake.
•    Measure the referrals you receive from people you have met networking.

Networking will work for you, when you start working it!  I always go to events with the approach of ‘how can I help you get what you need?”  Give first and you will always receive!