Now I *know* everyone is spending at least one hour a day on marketing, right??
It's like the 8 glasses of water a day for optimum health thing...your body needs at least 8 glasses of water, your business needs at least 1 hour of marketing

SO, what have you done so far this week to promote your business?
Whatever it was, researching press releases, setting up a blog, building links, sending out postcards, networking, etc. tell us about it!

Since I'm not marketing my practice anymore, I'm marketing this site instead so this week I've done the following:
-sent emails to clients looking for VA's on Craigslist and invited them to post using our free job submit form (don't worry I only ever invite the good ones! ) - 1 hr

-submitted links to directories (only the page rank 4 and up ones though) - 2 hrs

-contacted and networked with potential guest speakers to come and do shows and chats - 2 hrs

-sent personal invites to a number of VAs whose press releases I've seen go out recently - 30 minutes

-Updated my profile on LinkedIn and accepted network requests from two existing clients, invited three existing clients to network. - 1 hr

Your turn!

__________________

Ohhh, I love this topic! I too spend at least an hour a day marketing my business. This week:

1. My web site has been totally revamped! I'm soooo excited!
2. I entered in to a partnership arrangement with a local business coach. A great referral source!
3. I am doing an e-blast through my Chamber of Commerce for an "End of Summer" promotion for call Chamber members.
4. I sent an email to a local BNI member asking for details.
5. I am sending out materials to an office complex about my services. (I have two clients there.)
6. I responded to an RFP.
7. I searched local employment ads for positions that may be a fit for a VA; sent two information kits out.

Next week, I have a post card mailer going out to about 150 target market contacts!

__________________
Doreen R. Patrick, MVA, ACS, CIVA
www.virtualbusinesspartners.net

Doreen, the site looks great! Congratulations What an innovative menu - I love the creativity there with the post it notes, so nice . And a big thank you for adding the graphic link back to the Virtual Assistant Forums

Kudos to you for staying active with the marketing; that's so crucial to maintaining the momentum, isn't it?

I see you're heavily involved in local marketing and networking, would you say that's where the largest percentage of your marketing efforts go every week?

__________________

A good chunk of my marketing is local, especially through my Chamber. I'm in the selection process to be on their Board of Directors so I have been relly trying to get my name out there! My target market is national, so any marketing I do for that spans all states. I live in a pretty populated area, with both residential and businesses so there are plenty of reosurces here to tap! (I'm just outside of Chicago, IL).

__________________
Doreen R. Patrick, MVA, ACS, CIVA
www.virtualbusinesspartners.net

That's excellent! Board of Directors is quite a big deal - you'll have to keep us posted on how that process goes for you; good luck with that, we're cheering for you

__________________

Well I started off strong working on my website, but I got stuck and annoyed and threw in the towel before I thew my laptop across the room. Last night was a bust I was in my wet noodle mood and did not move off the couch.
See I am a single mom of 1 child, I have 2 jobs actually three if you count my freelance mystery shopping gig. So last night was one of those nights where I just ran out of steam. I will be back fighting with the website tonight. But it is a great idea to track hours spent marketing.

I'm so sorry to hear you had such a hard time of it - believe me there are plenty of times I want to toss my laptop across the room and out the window! But I don't because that's what connects me to my clients so I can't really do that...I might as well throw my clients out the window too lol...

Two jobs and a gig, and a child, however you do the math - is a LOT of work and must feel incredibly overwhelming at times. Sometimes the couch is the best place to be when you're feeling like a wet noodle

Where are you getting stuck on your site - what are you using to build it? If you feel like posting it to the reviews and feedback section I'm sure we can help you figure it out - completely up to you.

__________________

I've been working like crazy just getting my biz ready to open. My goal in by the end of this month I will have everything in place. My website is DONE (woo hoo), but I'm sure I'll think of things that need tweaking before its launch. I am now working on the dreaded paperwork end of things (getting a contract together that I am happy with, etc) and doing some 'charity' work to build up some testimonials.

Well like I said I am using MS Office Live as it is free so I'm not sure you can help me but the site index tab is a template. One of the template says site map. I am trying to have it read services, but I haven't been able to figure that out yet. Thats all not huge, I was just frustrated that day.

Sorry I missed the 'MS Office Live'...well template or not, we've got a whole section for help and I think quite a few of our members are using the same program for their own sites - at least I've seen it discussed here before. So if you decide you want any help just say the word. Hope today is better

__________________