Written By Ashlee McNicole
(http://ashleemcnicolbooks.com/)


Every good result you have in business is of you taking action. In order to gain a nice following, you must be prepared to take some time doing promotions. Sometimes, it may feel like all of your time is invested in reaching out to people, rather than selling products at all. In times like that, you know you are at least networking at the highest level. Take a step back, and go back to what is equally important for a little bit.
  • Getting the Job Done
  •  In order to do well in the industry, it is crucial that you reach out to customers. 
  • Preparing actionable items comes down to a few major ideas. You can use this as a template when determining what actionable items you are going to take. 
Note: the actionable items should help you get closer to the objectives laid out in the first part of the marketing strategy.
  • What are you going to do to expand your fan base?
  • How are you going to gather more customers?
  • How are you going to increase your return on investment?
  • How long is it going to take you to reach your objectives?
  • How will doing x help you gain more followers?
How are you going to include x in your promotional tactics?
  • Personally, I like to use Excel for everything. If you open up an Excel document, you can create a basic outline like the following to keep you focused on increasing your client base online.

Weekly Marketing for X Until Launch Platform Action Twitter: Follow 25 people daily
 Twitter: Repost 2 articles daily with hashtags. Link to site.
Twitter: Tweet all new blog posts Facebook: Post 3 fun articles/ posts: 1 self promotion

Facebook: “Like” business sites on Facebook and send a DM with your contact information.
 Facebook: Upload one fun picture per week with trending hashtag
 Facebook: 1 #FanFreebieDay weekly
 Facebook: “Like” at least 10 business pages through your Facebook page weekly. DM for a “like” in return.
Google +: Upload blog posts. Google +: Add 10 people to your network weekly.

Blog: Write 3 blog posts weekly (M, W, F)
 Blog: Follow 20 new blogging sites weekly
Blog: “Like” 10 blog articles weekly and comment on posts.
Blog: Return the follow every time someone follows or “likes” your page.
 Blog: Do at least 1 guest post monthly.

Promotional Tactics Promotional tactics are a broader form of actionable items that also do well in getting the word out. Here are some fun examples of actionable items you can apply in your marketing strategy where they are concerned:
  • Make a blog with a unique name and use key words when writing your own posts and having others guest post on your site.
  • Create a business page on Facebook.
  • Design a media kit.
  • Write a friendly and intriguing business biography to help your readers get to know you.
  • Create a video about your business and ask your fans to share it.
  • Create a press release and send to local media sources to promote your story.
  • Allow people to try your products for free.
  • Make a hashtag for your products and promote on Twitter.
  • Contact the local TV or radio station to schedule an interview.
  • Create #TeaserTuesday posts for new product features. Picmonkey is a great free resource for that.
  • Participate in blog tours.
  • Create a YouTube channel.
  • Schedule events in high-traffic locations.
  • Host an online Facebook release party for the event.
  • Create business cards.
  • Offer a freebie in exchange for an email signup.
  • Purchase t-shirts and other fun goodies with your logo.
  • Ask customers to post pictures on your social media and tag you in them when they use your products.
At the end of the day, what matters most is that you love what you do and you have a message to share with the world. Isn’t that why we are business owners in the first place?< strong>Tips for Success
  • Become active on various social media platforms.
  • Keep an Excel document of planned blog posts.
  • Get a day planner to use as a marketing to-do list.
  • Find loyal customers who can help review your products before they become available to the public for purchase.