Founder, Knerl Family Media
Named Small Business Expert to follow by American Express Open Forum. Connector. Dreamer. Doer. Ready to take on your small business and startup challenges and find solutions that work with your budget.
Blogging
Founder, Knerl Family Media
Hi! I find that taking the same topics and just tweaking them slightly for a very specific demographic is helpful. So, ways to update your kitchen + millennials = a nifty piece on the trends millennials are looking for in a customized article just for them. Ways to repurpose barn wood + living in a small apartment = a customized piece on small barn wod projects that fit any space! You can always interview someone from that demographic. This method helps for SEO and for bringing new readers to your blog. Good luck!
Fundraising
Founder, Knerl Family Media
I would highly recommend working with a crowd funding consultant that's experienced in this market. Even an hour with someone can help you avoid pitfalls. I don't do this myself, but a quick search of Crowd 101 will get you to a few great blogs and the minds behind them. Good luck!
Management Consulting
Founder, Knerl Family Media
I prefer a hybrid method as many on this thread have mentioned. I do an internal audit of what each service should be billed at individually, then take that rate times the hours needed to do the job. I add on the amount of time needed for "consulting", training, and followup (via email, phone, etc.) and put together a monthly rate that covers all that I would do PLUS extra for emergencies that may arise. I bill this monthly rate at a minimum project price of 3-6 months, and if there is a lot of upfront labor (setting up systems, learning homegrown software, etc) I charge a set up fee. Being confident in your processes and work allows you to do all this and not feel like you're overcharging. In almost every instance, I've come in under the budget number clients have in mind, and -- if they don't use all the services needed in a month -- the extra earnings helps cover time I spend acquiring new clients. Hope this helps!
Social Media Marketing
Founder, Knerl Family Media
Many business owners think that the same business can be marketed to online and offline customers in the same way. However, I've found that the customer demographic is so different that it requires a completely different strategy. Yes, you can push Facebook and Twitter messaging that's similar to what you're doing offline, but you may need to tweak your outreach to convey a completely different message. Depending on your business model (service vs. product, geography, how you currently get new customers), this may require a slight adjustment to your message OR it could need a complete revamping of your focus. I've helped business owners make this leap and would love to share some simple brainstorming exercises to see what's needed BEFORE you enlist a social media marketing/management professional. Glad to help in any way I can.
Blog Marketing
Founder, Knerl Family Media
Google Page Rank should just be one of many signs of a healthy blog/site, but one way to ensure it doesn't drop and possibly even improves over time is to keep the following rules in mind for any content you create: 1) Always provide useful, original, and natural copy on your pages. 2) Keep your "do-follow" links to external sites to an absolute minimum. 3) Use "do-follows" to links within your own site when it makes sense. 4) Keep affiliate links "no-follow" 5) Clean up your posts/pages periodically to eliminate links that are broken, expired, or do not follow Google's preferences. These are just the basics. There may be other things that are keeping your pagerank below your preferred goal. We can chat more if you're interested! Good luck!
Traffic Monetization
Founder, Knerl Family Media
First of all, congrats on the traffic! That's a solid showing that should have you well on the way to earning. Since you specifically stated no webinars, coaching sessions, or courses, you've limited yourself, but you still have a world of opportunity available to you! The first thing you'll want to do is get your brand established as an expert in your field. Use that platform to then do one of a few proven tactics that I've seen from my most successful blogging friends: 1) Start a podcast. It's a relatively low-tech solution that is budget-friendly for the small business owner/blogger. It will also directly enhance the type of content offered on your site -- so more pageviews! Podcasts can be monetized a number of ways, but the best part is that they are FREE to your audience and help to continue building your brand for years to come. 2) Sponsored "conversations." Yes, this is the new word for sponsored post, but not the type where some unknown spam company posts an SEO nightmare on your blog with a do follow for some small amount of cash. I have shared numerous ways to build relationships with solid and well-known brands to get your next blog post sponsored -- with no creative restraints on your end -- for between $150 - 750 each (on average). By doing the right kinds of outreach and being a solid, go-to blog for the brand, this can turn into a profitable, lasting relationship for both of you. Connect with me if you'd like to do a quick conversation around your blog branding and how working with brands or starting a podcast can boost your income and provide a value for your readers!
Marketing Strategy
Founder, Knerl Family Media
While Pinterest and Facebook won't likely convert to sales in the way some of the more traditional marketing funnels will, they certainly can help you get leads and build a community around the topic of menopause. Like any "female"-related issues, it is a sensitive topic that is best handled on social by a women and an expert in the field. I would recommend partnering with a doctor and an everyday woman in that stage of life to provide Q&A style conversations on Facebook, along with inspirational tips and helps to guide them in every aspect of that age. People to go Pinterest and Facebook to relax and unwind, not necessarily search for products. But once you've built trust with that age group, they will see you as an ally and will be more open to marketing messages from you, as well. I would also use the Pinterest and Facebook connections to build your email list -- where you can be more targeted and specific with sales pitches such as discounts and promotions.
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