We all have them — the “go to” sites we read while enjoying that first cup or coffee or tea.  But what do your favorite sites say about you as an entrepreneur?

Check out this quickie insider look and let me know if any of these types of “Internet surfers” describes you…

1.  You Jump on Social Networking Sites First!

You value relationships and don’t want to lose connections with others, whether in a personal or professional sense. 

Strengths:  You’re great at communications and staying on top of the “social scene”.

Challenges:  You may tend to get emotionally caught up in everyone else’s drama.  And that can lead to poor business decisions.

2.  You Look at Popular Local, National and World News Sites Pronto!

You’re the type who could probably name the people in charge of even the most obscure countries.  (After all, there ARE no obscure countries to you!)  You’re up to speed on the news and often “break it” to friends and colleagues.

Strengths:  You have a terrific perspective on society and the politics of the day.  This gives you some “insider” knowledge that sets you apart from competitors.

Challenges:  You may struggle as an entrepreneur to make real connections with people who don’t share your love of all things news.  It’s as if you don’t speak the same language.

3.  You Check Out More Hollywood/Gossip Sites Than Anyone Could Shake a Stick At!

Before you justify your actions, know that there isn’t anything intrinsically wrong with seeing what Perez Hilton has written before getting to work.  It’s just your style.

Strengths:  You probably have the ability to join any conversation, especially the day after American Idol is picked or something particularly shocking happened on CSI!  That makes you the “go to” person for the trendy gossip of the day.

Challenges:  While you know exactly how many kids Angelina Jolie has, you might not be as up to speed on the ins and outs of your business.  You have to train yourself to become interested in the non-dramatic, too!

4.  You Head Right for Information on Your Field!

You are the type who has immersed him- or herself in one chosen industry, and you’ll be doggoned if anyone knows it better than you!  That’s why you seek out as much info daily as you can… including on the competition!

Strengths:  You are seen as a leader in your field because you know so much.  This helps you make connections and win opportunities to speak at events or “guest write/blog” pieces.

Challenges:  You’re so absorbed by your own industry that you tend to think only on those terms.  Thus, brainstorming could be particularly difficult for you because you think only of what’s already been done, not what COULD be done.

5.  You Have No Set Surfing Habits — You Let Your Mood Dictate Your Clicking!

You’re a true “free spirit”, roaming the Internet at will!  You’ll just as likely visit StyleList as you will ParentDish or the Wall Street Journal! 

Strengths:  You have a wide variety of interests and are able to synthesize information quickly.  You take from a range of knowledge bases.

Challenges:  It may be tough for you to focus on your career for any length of time because you tend to get so bored!  You have to learn how to keep everything feeling new!

So… which are you???

You’ve been marketing, marketing, marketing but it’s just not producing the results you expect or desire.  And you cannot understand it!  You love your logo, you adore your website, you enjoy your social networking sites… what’s wrong???

Perhaps it’s not your audience… maybe it’s you.

Many times, we fall head over heels for our own marketing items and strategies.  They seem so great!  Our websites are gorgeous and Flash-intensive, our postcards are four-color with attractive pictures, our billboards have a picture of our grandkids.  But, see, that’s the problem.  These are all marketing items that you like, but they might not be resonating with your potential customers.

You’ve lost sight of the real “bullseye”, the actual target.

It happens frequently in marketing.  We become inwardly-focused rather than asking, “What does my client need to know?  What does he or she want to see?”  Many times, his or her expectations aren’t what you would expect.  In fact, many times, they aren’t what would appeal to you in the least.  But you still have to implement them if you want to remain competitive.

It isn’t a crime to like your marketing, of course.  But if it’s not producing anything in the way of sales, leads or interest, it may be time to ask yourself the tough question:  “Am I marketing for them… or am I marketing for me?” 

Make sure your marketing is targeting the right clientele.  Leave a comment right now and I’ll email you to set up a FREE 30-minute discussion about your marketing today!

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I meet so many people who don’t market through online social networks that it boggles my mind.  Their excuses?  Typically, they site a) inconvenience; b) uneasiness; c) time constraints; and a whole host of other easily-overcome justifications.

I’m going to say this as clearly as I can:  If you’re not marketing your business through online social networks, you’re missing out on loads of opportunities.

Just the other day, Facebook hit 250 million users.  Back in March, Twitter reported it had over 8 million users.  LinkedIn has around 40 million users.  MySpace has millions of users, too.  And there’s no telling exactly how many millions of blogs are floating around the cyberuniverse, as new ones are created daily.

Truly, there’s no dearth of online social networking opportunities… and there’s no reason not to take advantage of their power.  If you’re worried about finding moments in your day to post a blog, tweet about your product/service, post a message on your Facebook wall or update your LinkedIn status, call a marketing consultant who is well-versed in handling social networking sites for clientele.

The online social networking revolution is here.  Get your train ticket today or risk being left behind in the station.

• JADCC:  The bridge between where you are and where you want to be.
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Make Your Web Movie Viral    by Julie Taylor

The internet is one of the most effective ways to market your business.  Uploading video to  sites such as www.youtube.com and social networking sites like www.facebook.com , www.squidoo.com, www.myspace.com, etc helps to build your brand and drive traffic to your website.

People want to receive their information in an entertaining way - which is why web movies have become so hot.  The trick is to make your web movie viral…meaning to get people to forward your movie onto others.  Imagine…one person views then sends to 5 people, those people send to 5 other people…you get the idea.

Check out my web movie:   Unlock Your Ambition. (www.unlockyourambition.com)

Developing a web movie is cost-effective and it’s also a great example of developing something once then using it for many purposes.  Web movies can be used as online commercials, to drive membership, product launches, recruitment, trade show marketing, etc…

Take a minute to view my movie and please…help make it viral…send it to 5 people that might enjoy it.

Julie Taylor   www.jadcc.com

www.glewonline.org