Smart Marketing Simple Arithmetic FluffyI dreaded math in junior high school.

Walking into algebra class was like entering some dark scary dungeon of fire, terrified I wouldn’t come out alive. Luckily, I survived and only my eyebrows got a little singed.

But simple arithmetic? That’s my style!

Remember doing the “times tables” in elementary school? I loved the “tens”. All you had to do was add a zero to get the correct answer.

Ahh … the beauty of simplicity.

 

Why talk about arithmetic today? Specifically, marketing arithmetic?

Simple. The Numbers Whisperer® is turning 40.

No, silly. Not the website. The owner!

Nicole Fende graciously invited me to her blog party to share a post surrounding the number “40” to celebrate the occasion. Thanks for inviting me, Nicole. Will there be party favors? A glass of wine would be nice, too.

From Nicole: To help my readers face their fear of numbers, and replace it with appreciation, I’ve asked some accomplished bloggers to share their thoughts about the number 40. Anything about the number 40 in any way, shape or form, to show how to embrace a scary number. Now excuse me while I go search for party favors and a good Pinot Noir….

When a party invitation states, “No gifts, please”, I ignore that request. I never go to a party empty-handed. Mum raised me with good manners.

So to celebrate Nicole’s 40th birthday, I’d like to gift YOU with:
 

10 Simple Activities You Can Do 4 Times a Month to Market Smart

  1. Set up a LinkedIn group for your niche and/or target market and update your group/s four times a month. (Specific topics for discussion? Burning questions from group members? Social media marketing tips? Currated content? A puzzle to solve? Pet peeves? Latest trends? Video clips? You get the idea.)
     
  2. Record short podcasts and publish them to a page on your blog and to iTunes. This free software and a little time is all you need!
     
  3. Invite guest authors to post on your blog. Gives you a pleasant (and maybe much-needed) break from writing plus provides fresh content for your blog four times a month. Find guest bloggers at Blogger Link Up, My Blog Guest, and Business 2 Blogger.
     
  4. Visit Pinterest four times a month to find new pinners (others in your niche or those in your target audience) and boards to follow. Pinterest is growing like a bad weed! And that’s a good thing. Use your Pinfluence as a marketing strategy.
     
  5. Gather up some marketing inspiration! Hang out in The Inspiration Room four times a month and share your inspirational finds with your peers, fans, followers, clients, joint venture partners, and mastermind group members.
     
  6. Send free digital greeting cards to your loyal customers/clients, your favorite peeps, your biggest fans, your trusty colleagues, or your top blog commenters. A personal message goes a long way and means a lot. Don’t forget the “human” side of business.
     
  7. Look for opportunities to be interviewed. Subscribe to Reporter Connection and Help Out A Reporter. Just one juicy interview can put you on the map and get your marketing messages out to the masses!
     
  8. Reciprocity rules! Focus on something you can do to promote the awesomeness of others four times a month. Most people will be happy to reciprocate. Re-Tweet a Tweet, share the announcement of an upcoming event; the link to a blog post or article; an infographic; a new profile photo; a contest or giveaway; a newly released book; a spiffy new product or service. Put the people you respect and admire in the spotlight. And do it unconditionally.
     
  9. I bet you know “how to” do things others don’t. Create four how-to’s every month in a format you’re comfortable with — blog post, video tutorial/tips (no camera needed), Google+ hangout , Slideshare or Slide Rocket, Skype, eHow, Squidoo, Hub Pages, Power Point, Podcast — whatever suits your fancy. Think about how many times you’ve gone to your search bar and typed in “How to ….” Your potential customers or clients are doing the same.
     
  10. Don’t ever underestimate the power of humor in your marketing and the healing properties of laughter. A smile can chase away the (small biz marketing) blues and lift people’s biz-building spirits. What can you do four times a month to incorporate humor into your marketing efforts? I’m leaving this one up to you. Put your ideas below in Nicole’s comment box. 🙂

Doing ten simple marketing activities four times a month can boost your bottom line.

 
Talking about your “bottom line”, want to do something really cool for Nicole’s birthday? And, in turn, do something cool for yourself?

Don’t buy her a birthday gift. That’s apt to cost you some big bucks. Instead, spend just a few bucks and purchase a copy of her book, “How to be a Finance Rock Star — The Small Business Owner’s Ticket to Multi-Platinum Profits”.

Happy Big 4-0, Nicole! (You don’t look a day over 30. I demand to know what kind of night cream you’re using.)
 
Melanie KissellAbout Melanie Kissell, Founder of Solo Mompreneur
 
I’m not growing a business. I’m raising a blog. I survived the terrible two’s and the incessant “why” questions of the pre-school years. I’m currently tangling with a five-year-old who’s reaching out for her independence and learning unique ways to stand out in the crowded blogosphere.