When was the last time you reviewed your website? If it has been a few weeks, take a few minutes to read it over.

What are first-time visitors seeing when they click on your site?

If you want to boost sales, here are three, quick online copywriting tips to keep in mind:

1. Do you provide benefits right away?

Does your home page talk all about what you do, how long you’ve been in business and your credentials? That’s great, but your customers want to know what you can do for them – in seconds.

You may want to move your “company” information to the “about” or “bio” section of your website.

Then, you can use the home page to let visitors know they are in the right place and that your products and services can help solve their particular problems.

2. Are your verbs active?

Is your online copy written in the present tense or are you talking about things that happened in the past?

You can instantly add energy to your site by replacing all of your passive verbs (we worked with this client, we helped XYZ when they needed to raise funds, etc.) with verbs that describe a current action (get help now, take advantage of our 25% discount today, raise funds fast, etc.).

3. Do visitors know what to do?

When potential customers take the time to read your website copy, do they know what to do in order to contact you?

Each page should have a specific and easy call-to-action. Whether it’s registering for your newsletter, calling your sales department or actually purchasing a product online, be sure that website visitors know what they need to do to take action.

These are just three quick copy changes you can make to easily boost sales and conversion rates.

For your free copy of my new e-tipsheet, “20 Quick Online Copywriting Tips to Help Boost Website Sales in Minutes,” sign up for my free, monthly newsletter at www.rembrandtwrites.com. You’ll get valuable tips and information you can use to help boost sales and awareness fast!

A new entrepreneur asked me how much a press release should cost to write and distribute. And the answer is that it can cost anywhere from nothing (if you use your own time and effort to do it yourself) to thousands of dollars (depending on the services used and the distribution).

I think the real question to ask is…

Why are you sending out a press release in the first place?

If you want to reach a specific audience, perhaps you would be better off talking directly to a reporter at a targeted media venue. Once again, it all comes back to your specific goals and what you want to accomplish with your publicity efforts.

Now if you want to announce some news to a large audience, remind media members you have current products and services and get the word out quickly, a press release is probably the way to go.

And if you are not a skilled writer, I highly suggest that you find one to write your release for you. After all, you want to make a good impression and I’m sure you have core, business activities that need more of your attention and focus.

Where to Get a Press Release

To find out more about press releases, check out resources such as PRWeb,
PR Newswire, BusinessWire, and PRSA.

You’ll also find a lot of sites where you can post your release for free by doing a simple search. Look for pertinent media venues where your audiences hang out and see if there is a place to post news items.

Press releases are a great tool for building buzz about your business. But before you spend too many resources on writing and distribution, review your goals and research all of the possibilities. You may want to pursue other publicity opportunities that will give you better results.

These are just a few tips to help you get started. If you’d like further assistance with your publicity efforts, sign up for my free newsletter at www.rembrandtwrites.com. And as a
special, free gift for registering, I’ll send you my new, e-tipsheet on “5 Must-Have Tips for Working with the Media” at no charge!

If you want to increase return customers and upsell to current clients, there is one major thing that you need to take care of at the very beginning of every relationship - Expectations.

This may sound simple, but if you don’t spell out what you are going to provide for the money, you can run into major confusion and complications in the future. And it goes both ways. Your customers need to tell you what they expect too.

With this in mind, here are three key tips to think about when you begin to work on any new projects or customer sales:

1. Communicate goals.

Before you exchange funds, products and/or services, talk about final outcomes and what you both expect out of the relationship.

You should understand potential issues, tactics, budget constraints, potential results, and any other important details prior to working together.

2. Get it in writing.

Whether it’s a stream of e-mails or an official contract, write down exactly what you will provide and what the customer or client can expect from you.

Even if you have a casual relationship, this will help clarify actions, fees, deadlines, and potential results.

3. Stick to your plan.

Once your relationship is under way, be sure you provide what you promised. Stay in touch with your customers, and be sure they are aware of any changes or problems.

And to build a solid customer base and good word-of-mouth, go above and beyond customer expectations. Provide personal attention and extra services whenever possible.

By being honest and upfront with customers, you will reduce stress, meet deadlines and avoid unnecessary surprises.

And if you make the extra effort to provide customers with additional, unexpected services that exceed their expectations, you’ll be well on your way to surpassing the competition and boosting sales.

Welcome back from the July 4th weekend! Was it a little more difficult than usual to get up this morning?

It was for me - which is perfectly natural after having a fun weekend enjoying the California sun!

But if you just can’t stand it when the morning alarm rings, and you need to drag yourself to work on a regular basis, it’s time for a change.

And you may not think it’s possible - especially with today’s high prices and economic forecasts. But you know what?

Life is too short to spend time at a job you don’t like.

You see, I’ve been talking to a lot of negative, media people lately who hate their jobs. And it got me thinking. If you want to be one of the wealthy, happy people you admire, it’s up to you to make it happen!

I don’t want to sound too “Miss Sunshiny,” but wouldn’t it be better to spend some extra time and effort to be happy now rather than waiting until you retire?

Now I’ve been anxious about finances and my future too. But if you don’t take action, nothing will change. With these thoughts in mind, here are a few tips I used to go from a full-time career to working for myself:

1. Research
Before you make any big decisions, figure out what you want to do and what actions are necessary to make it happen.

Start by checking on all of the legal and financial issues involved (business structure, copyrights, patents, loans, conflicts-of-interest, etc.). And talk to others in the field you want to pursue.

Visit your local SCORE (www.score.org) office, and look online for helpful sites like www.sba.gov, www.startupnation.com and http://pinkmagazine.com/index.html.

There are many free resources available to help you pursue your own business or a new career. You just have to look.

2. Plan.
Can you start on a part-time basis? Instead of abruptly leaving your current position, try to transition into your new business or career in the evenings or on weekends when you are not working.

This will give you a sample taste of your “new life.” Plus, you can grow your business or new career slowly and then leave your current position with another income in progress.

(And just a note…if you work at your new career while at your current job, you can get into a lot of trouble. It’s best to keep things separate to avoid problems or even losing your job before you’re ready!)

3. Go for It!
If you’ve done your homework, don’t be afraid to make the leap and pursue your business dreams.

It can be extremely nerve-wracking to take risks that can change your life in profound ways. But if you prepare and look at all the positive and negative possibilities in advance, you will reduce your stress levels and increase your chances for success.

I’ve worked for horrible bosses at terrible jobs, and I know what it’s like. And I’m here to tell you that you can change things. It’s just a process of having a positive mindset and doing the necessary work.

So the next time your alarm goes off, think about your reaction. Are you looking forward to the day ahead or would you rather cover your head with your pillow and hide?

Life has so much to offer, and it goes by fast. Take a moment now to think about your goals and when you want to make things happen. I went through the trenches (too much to go into here :&gt and made it out o.k., and you can too!

If you have questions, just let me know. I’m here to help!

Happy July 4th America! With the holiday here, it’s time to have fun. But as a small business owner, you may have a difficult time letting go of work issues. Here are five inexpensive things that will help you relax:

1. Spend time outdoors.
Just by sitting or walking outside, you’ll notice all of the beautiful things around you. Nature has a way of putting things into perspective and slowing down our hectic pace.

2. Turn off your computer and phone.
Unless it’s an emergency, shut down your business-communication devices. Just for one day, give yourself a break from responding to phone calls, e-mails, and faxes.

After all, other people will be celebrating the holiday too so it’s the perfect time to leave your phone and computer turned off!

3. Participate in a favorite activity.
If you want to sleep in, visit a new restaurant, attend a special concert, or just spend time with positive family and friends, now is your chance. 

Try to avoid negative conversations, traffic and stressful events. After all, the holiday goes by fast, and you want to enjoy every minute of it! And if you do have some tasks to accomplish during your time off, take care of them right away. Then, you’ll have time to do the things you love to do.

Everyone will be celebrating America’s birthday so enjoy the festivities! Have fun with the people you love. And when it’s time to return to work, you’ll be rested and more productive than ever!

Before you contact reporters, it’s essential to conduct the appropriate research.

Do you know what topics they cover on a regular basis?

What newsworthy items are you going to share with them?

After all, media members receive hundreds of calls and e-mails each week, and you want to make a good, first-impression. Now, I’ve mentioned this several times via my articles at StartupNation, Pink Magazine and Nielsen’s Small Business Resource Center, but here’s a reminder list of the top ten questions you should never ask a reporter:

1. My client just created a new product, will you write about it next week?
2. What  is your column about?
3. How do you spell your name?
4. Will you write a feature story about our small businesses?
5. We are having a press event tonight, can you come?
6. Did you get my fax?
7. Are you going to write about the press release I just faxed to you?
8. Our CEO is available to speak to you now. Do you have 30 minutes to hear his story?
9. Can I proof your story before it goes to print for errors?
10. The local paper and CNN just did a major story about my client. Would you like to do the same story too?

These are just a few of the many, time-wasting questions reporters receive every day. What others do you have to add to this list?

Instead of asking irrelevant questions, please do your homework. Research the appropriate media venues and review archived and current articles, television programs, radio shows, etc.

Discover appropriate beats, deadlines and as much information as possible before you pick up the phone. You’ll save time and increase your chances of getting some good publicity. But most importantly, you’ll start to build a reputation as a valuable resource for future stories.

Check back soon for more PR tips. And if you have any questions or comments, please let me know. I’d love to hear from you! Thanks!

Woo Hoo! Summer is finally here. It’s time for sun, fun and relaxation!

But hold on…Before you grab your towel and sunscreen, do you have a publicity plan in place for the upcoming months?

I’ll mention a few tips on the StartupNation Radio program this Saturday. But now is the time to prepare and pitch your “back to school” and “holiday” stories in order to meet appropriate publication deadlines for the cooler months ahead.

It’s probably the last thing you want to think about. But if take care of your work now, you’ll avoid a lot of stressful deadlines later on.

Here are three things to help you prepare:

1. Check editorial calendars.
What do your target media venues have planned for upcoming issues and segments? Find out by checking their online media kits and show schedules. How can your unique stories fit into their upcoming articles and productions?

2. Provide newsworthy information.
Contact media members and give them the unique ideas and data they need to produce future stories. Offer your experts as resources and be as helpful as possible.

And be sure your online media kit provides all of the quotes, facts, statistics, photos, etc. that reporters need to complete their work fast.

3. Make follow-up notes.
Once you’ve pitched a story and offered valuable information, make notes to contact the media members at the appropriate time in the future.

If their stories aren’t scheduled for a few months, they may forget about you. Prior to their deadlines, remind them about your conversation and provide unique information pertinent to updated industry trends and news.

Once you finish your work and have some potential media opportunities ready for the future, you can relax and truly enjoy your book at the beach!

For more PR and copywriting information, feel free to visit www.rembrandtwrites.com or send your comments below. Thanks!

Over the weekend, I went to see the new “Indiana Jones” movie. I heard mixed reviews about it, but I really wanted to see it on the big screen. (I’m sure many other fans of the epic adventure felt the same way.)

It had some good moments, but many scenes were “campy” for an adult. But I bet kids will love the film and it will make a fortune. My point? 

The producers targeted a specific audience in order to earn the most profits from the film’s release. And it’s the same with publicity. If you create a unique pitch specificially for a certain media member, your chances for successful press coverage increase significantly.

And in addition to providing a targeted pitch, think about the character of Indiana Jones. Here’s a few things he can teach us about PR and sales:

1. Act fast.
When faced with a crisis, “Indie” jumps into action and uses his skills to create the best outcome. Think about this when you receive a customer request or media call. React quickly and do whatever it takes to fulfill their needs.

2. Have integrity.
No matter what, Indiana Jones always tries to do what’s best. So if you’re faced with a stressful situation or enticed by “easy money,” always be honest and think about what Indiana Jones woud do!

3. Think about others.
When his friends and loved ones were in danger, Indie focused on rescuing them. As you create your media pitches and talk to customers, think about how you can solve their problems and make their lives easier. By providing valuable information, you’ll increase loyalty, sales and media awareness quickly.

These are just a few things to learn from Indiana Jones. And as you can see, he may just be a fictional action-hero saving the world, but he offers some great business and PR advice in the process!

Do you have questions about public relations and online copywriting? Please feel free to contact me, and I’ll try to help you out. Thanks!

On Tuesday, I shared some reasons for hiring a copywriter (instead of writing your marketing materials and website copy yourself).

More experienced copywriters can be very expensive. But they usually provide copy that increases sales for your business…amounts that far exceed their fees.

With this in mind, here are few tips to help you find the right copywriter to fit your needs:

3. Check references. 
Once you have some potential candidates to choose from, review their work samples. Also contact some of their previous clients to discuss their work ethic, results, project deadlines, and other important qualities.

4. Communicate upfront.
Before hiring a copywriter, be sure to discuss specific deadlines, goals and fees upfront to avoid negative surprises later. Sign appropriate contracts or agreements in advance. And you may want to start with a small project first and then go from there.

It’s a good idea to keep communications open. Set expectations to help reach goals and create a positive working relationship.

A Final Note
An experienced copywriter can help you communicate your key messages, optimize various elements in your print and online marketing materials and grow sales faster.

Take the time to find the right copywriter for your specific needs, and your business will always be one step ahead of the competition.

Thanks for reading, and check back for additional tips.

In the meantime, feel free to contact me at www.rembrandtwrites.com for more information.

If you are tempted to save money and write your own marketing materials and website copy, please stop and think about it.

Although copywriters may be expensive, they can help you:

- Optimize conversion rates;

- Build credibility;

- Reach targeted audiences;

- Increase search engine placements;

- Assist you with your overall, Web architecture; and

- Grow sales fast!

And even if you are an excellent writer, it takes several hours of research and editing to create ”copy that sells.” This is time that you can spend on core business activities instead.

With this in mind, try to stop yourself from creating your marketing copy and materials. It is well worth it to outsource your copywriting needs.

You can focus on your area of expertise while your copywriter creates the words that will  produce results…Results that bring in new sales worth much more than his or her fees.

Thanks for reading. And next time, I’ll share some tips for finding the right copywriter for your specific needs.

Melanie