Is your copy a bit lifeless? Marketing flat? Michele PW is here with tips and tricks to get your marketing and copy back on track.
06.30.08
Posted in Community Relations, General, Marketing at 11:40 am EDT by Michele PW
Here’s me with my pink hat walking the San Diego Marathon. I’m proud to say I learned my lesson from last year, which was if I improve my attitude and smile while I’m walking, I’ll have a much better time. And I DID. I had a blast – right on up to between Mile 22 and 23. Then, I hit the wall.
And I hit it hard.
I’m not sure why I’m the only one in our little group to hit the wall but there it is. For the last 4 miles, I wanted to kill someone (or kill myself). All of a sudden the pain in my legs, which was hurting for most of the marathon but it was more of a dull ache, flared up big time. And all of a sudden, that pain became nearly unbearable. I didn’t think I could deal with it for one minute longer.
But I did deal with it. For an hour. One very long, agonizing hour.
More then that, I refused to let myself slow down. (Although I must say, that was a fairly easy decision as I knew if I slowed down I would simply be prolonging the agony.) I kept with my 15-minute mile and finished the race at 6 hours, 26 minutes — 38 minutes faster then last year.
So that was a win. Other wins to report:
• They changed the flavor of Accelerade (which is like Gatorade). Last year they served the original lemon-lime, which was disgusting. I could barely choke it down. This year they served fruit punch. Much better. (I’ve decided to attribute the change to me, as I complained last year in this very same blog about it – I have no doubt the powers-that-be at Accelerade are of course avid readers of my blog. : ) )
• The wonderful people with the oranges were still there, Read the rest of this entry »
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05.28.08
Posted in General, Notes from PW at 7:46 am EDT by Michele PW
I recently went to Laughlin, NV, with my 93-year-old grandpa and his girlfriend who’s 20 years younger. (Yes, Grandpa is quite the character.)
I always have a good time with Grandpa because he is such a character (on top of everything else, he was a very successful business man so it’s always interesting to talk to him). However, it’s not always easy for me to spend time with him. Why? Because we’re moving at two different speeds.
You see, here’s the thing about people in their nineties – they move very slowly. Nothing is fast. Grandpa especially Read the rest of this entry »
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05.23.08
Posted in Business, General at 9:37 pm EDT by Michele PW
Recently I was watching the movie Back To The Future. That’s the one with Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd where Fox goes back in time and meets his parents when they were in high school. During the course of the movie, his father ends up standing up for himself, which he had never done before, and when Fox returns to the present time, his entire family is in a completely different place.
So it got me thinking. One act completely transforms a life. Now, I realize this is the movies and life isn’t nearly so clear cut, but the truth of the matter is we ARE the results of the choices we make. And our life right now is the end result of the choices we made yesterday. And what our life is tomorrow is the result of what we’re choosing to do today.
What choices are you making right now? Are they choices that are going to propel your life and business forward? Or are they going to keep you stuck in the same place (or worse, moving backwards.)
Many of my clients come to me because they aren’t seeing the results in their business they want to see. They aren’t making the kind of money they want to be making, they don’t have the quality or quantity of customers they want to have. They want their business to be different.
But yet…
They continue to make the same choices they always made, which got them the results they’re seeing right now. And chances are, those choices include choosing NOT to do much marketing.
If you want to be making more money, then there’s no substitution. You have to make marketing a priority.
I wish I could tell you something simpler. That there was a magic pill or a Web site you could go to and sign up and voila — all your problems would be solved. Alas, as is most things in life, that’s not the case.
As a marketing and copywriting strategist, I’m in a unique situation of not only getting to know some of the top entrepreneurs out there but also working with them intimately. And I’ve gotten a glimpse of not only how they’ve structured their successful businesses but what they do to build and maintain that success.
And, for the most part, what I’ve seen is an emphasis on the basics. Including consistently marketing, day in and day out. Nothing sexy, nothing earth shattering. Just an emphasis on marketing on a regular basis, whether they feel like doing it or not.
However, many entrepreneurs don’t really know where to start when it comes to marketing. With that in mind, I’ve decided to begin an article series that will teach those marketing basics, including action steps, so you can immediately start putting them to work into your own business.
But remember, those are the tactics. And while tactics are important, they alone aren’t going to turn your business around. Why? Because if you don’t make the choice to use them and implement them on a regular basis, nothing is going to change in your business.
So, I’d like to encourage all of you to take a few moments over the next few days to take a good, hard look at your choices. Are you making the choices that are going to result in the business you’ve always wanted? Or are you making the choices that are going to keep you stuck or, worse, going backwards?
And, if you’re in the second group, my next challenge for you is to see if you can start making different choices.
Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) is the author of Why Isn’t My Web Site Making Me Any Money? 10 Easy Steps to Make Your Web Site Go Ka-Ching! If you have a Web site and no sales, In 30 minutes or less you can quickly and easily pinpoint EXACTLY what’s wrong with your site and what you need to do to transform it into a money-making machine! Click here to learn more and get your copy.
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04.10.08
Posted in Business, General, Marketing at 7:01 pm EDT by Michele PW
Yep, there’s a photo of me with Gene (yes, THAT Gene Simmons from KISS). He spoke at the recent Glazer-Kennedy Marketing Summit in Nashville. And along with getting my photo taken with him, I also got an autographed copy of his book ‘”Sex, Money, KISS,” which I read on the airplane on the way home.
So, what did I learn from Gene? (Other then his rather controversial views of women and marriage?) Well, he’s quite the entrepreneur. Here are two gems you can instantly apply to your own business:
1. KISS isn’t a rock and roll band, it’s a rock and roll brand. I’m probably dating myself here, but my first memory of KISS was seeing the other kids in elementary school carrying around KISS lunch boxes. What other rock and roll band had their photos on lunch boxes? Most lunch boxes back then were Disney and Warner Brothers characters, not rock and roll characters (and make no mistake about it, Gene IS a character).
When you read the book, he has this very interesting little side bar in there. When he was on tour, he was Read the rest of this entry »
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03.10.08
Posted in General, Marketing, Online Marketing at 1:05 pm EDT by Michele PW
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard something about the whole social networking craze. Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Digg and so on.
And as a busy entrepreneur, you’ve probably been wringing your hands trying to figure out how to work social networking tasks onto your already overcrowded to-do list.
Well, you’re in luck. Here are 5 strategies to successfully add social networking into your day and start reaping the benefits.
1. Make social networking a priority. Social networking CAN make a difference in your business. It can help you develop leads, turn prospects into paying customers, increase your sales and grow your business.
BUT, you got to work it if you want to see the results.
Rather than looking at social networking as a burden or a “should” in your life, look at it as an opportunity. This is an opportunity to build relationships and make a difference in people’s lives. If you look at it that way, it might make it easier to spend the few hours a week growing your social networking network.
2. Block out time each week. I know, I know. Read the rest of this entry »
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02.13.08
Posted in General at 2:19 pm EST by Michele PW
I’m going to start by coming out and saying it – I am NOT a fan of the Patriots. So I couldn’t have been happier watching the Giants kick the Patriots’ butt all over Glendale on Sunday. (The only thing that would have made me happier is if it had been the Packers doing the butt-kicking, but I digress.)
That aside, whether you’re a Patriots fan, Giants fan or couldn’t care two figs about football in general, there’s still an important lesson here that can help you with your business and life. Here it is:
The Giants played to win.
And the Patriots played not to lose.
When you play to win, you play with passion. That’s what happened with the Giants. They played with an all-out intensity, sort of like they were playing the last game of the season with the world championship on the line. (Oh wait, that WAS the case.)
The Patriots, on the other hand, were flat. Cautious even. In many cases, they looked like they were just going through the motions, like they were only mildly interested in the final outcome.
The Patriots had no business losing that game. They had more on the line then a Superbowl ring, they also had a chance at a perfect record, which almost NEVER comes along.
But instead of going all out, they played not to lose. Almost like they already HAD the perfect record wrapped up and were trying to keep from losing it. And the Giants played like they had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
And look who walked away with the win.
Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) is the author of Sales Letter Secrets: Rev Up Your Business With Copy That Sells! Tired of your competition making money hand over fist while you struggle to sell ANYTHING? Click here to discover their secret so you can put it to work for YOUR business.
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02.06.08
Posted in General at 7:48 pm EST by Michele PW
Have you ever seen “A Daily Show” by Jon Stewart on Comedy Central? As you might imagine (the fact that it’s on Comedy Central is probably a giveaway) it’s a political satire show.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, Jon had a couple of segments dissecting the media coverage surrounding our presidential election. Namely, showing how the media is blowing things out of proportion. For instance: about a half dozen journalists reported Republican candidate Mitt Romney to have “exploded” at a fellow journalist. Jon showed the “explosion,” and as far as I could tell, Mitt didn’t even raise his voice.
(Bear with me, we’re getting to what this has to do with the recession shortly.) So why would the media report Mitt “exploding” when he didn’t? Well, it’s probably because “exploding” sells more air time then “spoke firmly.”
Think of it. Remember how many marketing professionals (myself included) trot out the whole “your marketing message is competing against more than 3,000 other messages daily?” Well, the media are right up there competing along with the rest of us. Not only are they competing against other media outlets but they’re also competing against people choosing to watch “Boston Legal,” play on MySpace, read “People” magazine and even pay attention to your marketing message. How on earth are they going to cut through all that clutter?
How do you think?
Case in point – Which headline would cause you to pick up a newspaper:
“Democratic candidates discuss the issues civilly”
or
“Democratic debate descends into an all-out brawl with candidates pulling hair, biting and throwing spit balls”
You get the picture.
So, what does all of this have to do with the recession? Well, again, you need to remember, the MEDIA WANT TO SELL NEWS. And reporting ‘”Well, we’re in a recession but it’s pretty mild and a lot of people are still making money” again sells less papers then “People are jumping off of buildings as they lose money left and right.”
You’re probably going to hear more and more about how bad the economy is the closer we get to the elections. And the unfortunate part of this is it could become a self fulfilling prophecy. Consider this:
“I had a bad month, it must be the recession.’
or
“I had a bad month, I better get out and do more marketing.”
Which is more empowering? Which one do you think will cause you to help your business pick up faster?
I know for myself and for many of my fellow entrepreneurs (either clients or colleagues) business is great. No recession in sight.
Now, I’m not telling you to put blinders on. Always be aware of what’s going on around you and what’s going on in your business so you can adjust as necessary. But, I’m also saying, while the media don’t necessarily lie, they are prone to exaggeration. And know that from what I’m seeing, the economy is STILL good and plenty of business owners are STILL making money.
Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) is the author of Why Isn’t My Web Site Making Me Any Money? 10 Easy Steps to Make Your Web Site Go Ka-Ching! If you have a Web site and no sales, In 30 minutes or less you can quickly and easily pinpoint EXACTLY what’s wrong with your site and what you need to do to transform it into a money-making machine! Click here to learn more and get your copy.
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01.28.08
Posted in General, Notes from PW, Public Relations at 1:15 pm EST by MichelePW
Yes I did it again. Another marathon. Except this one was a half marathon in Phoenix (a mere 13.1 miles) versus the 26.2 mile jaunt I did last June in San Diego (and yes, I’m signed up to go again).
I don’t run the marathons, I walk or walk with a little running. 
This time was a success because I completed it in 3 hours and 6 minutes, averaging about a 13-minute mile or so, which was my goal. (Actually, my goal was a 15-minute mile so it was better than my goal). I also considered it a success Read the rest of this entry »
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01.26.08
Posted in Business, General, Marketing at 12:03 pm EST by Michele PW
The thing about Cabo, Mexico, is you’re surrounded by a lot of entrepreneurs. From the people peddling their wares on the sidewalk to the wait staff and crew members serving you (and working for tips), it’s a great place to study what to do if you want to put more money in your pocket.
The best case study took place on a snorkel cruise ship. We had already paid for the cruise, so they weren’t trying to sell us anything. Instead crew members were trying to up their tips. Here are 5 things they did and what you can do in your own marketing to increase your sales: Read the rest of this entry »
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01.22.08
Posted in Community Relations, General at 9:00 pm EST by Michele PW
In case you don’t know who the Blue Man Group is, they’re a group of three men who are (what else) blue, and together they perform this quirky show with no speaking, a touch of the odd, irrelevant humor and lots of really jamming percussion-based rock music. You might remember them doing Intel commercials a few years back. (Ironically, their show is based on poking fun at modern society, so for them to be in any commercial is pretty funny.)
Anyway, the Blue Man Group is on the road right now and their travels have taken them to the surprising place of Prescott Valley, Arizona. You may have heard of Prescott Valley, but my guess is probably not. Prescott Valley is part of what’s known as the Quad Cities, which includes Prescott, Chino Valley and Dewey/Humboldt, and if you add all the people up together you’ll maybe get a population count of 100,000 if you’re lucky (and if you include Read the rest of this entry »
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01.15.08
Posted in General, Notes from PW at 11:33 am EST by Michele PW
Of all the things I learned in Cabo, one of the most interesting (and probably least useful) is that tequila is made from a cactus called agave. Agave apparently looks like a cross between a century plant and an aloe vera plant. My biggest regret is I didn’t actually see an agave plant growing in Cabo.
When I learned that tequila is made from agave, my first thought was “I wonder who would look at a cactus and think tequila.” Upon further reflection, I decided that was a silly question. Human nature being what it is there probably isn’t a plant, root, berry, flower, seed, stem, moss, fungus, precious metal, etc. that someone somewhere hasn’t tried making an alcoholic beverage from.
Now, according to all the nice Mexican waiters we met, if you drink Read the rest of this entry »
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12.29.07
Posted in General, Notes from PW at 2:25 pm EST by Michele PW
Happy Holidays! I hope all of you are having a fabulous holiday season.
As for me, I just returned from Cabo San Lucas Mexico. As you can imagine, December was a nutty month. Hubby and I got an opportunity to join some friends in Cabo for a week in one of their condos.
Talk about a dream. The condo had a FULL view of the ocean and at night we could leave the screen door open and listen to the waves crash against the beach. Especially for this landlocked Midwestern and now Arizona girl, that was an amazing experience. (No, Lake Michigan does NOT count for water views.) It was like a dream come true.
We had a fabulous time (maybe a little TOO fabulous 
but what happens in Cabo stays in Cabo is what I say). However, trying to take off for a week in the middle of December was a bit of a challenge needless to say (especially with my business growing as fast as it is).
I’ve picked up some great article ideas and will probably get some blog entries up about my trip (although I certainly won’t be sharing all) keep an eye out.
Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) is the author of Why Isn’t My Web Site Making Me Any Money? 10 Easy Steps to Make Your Web Site Go Ka-Ching! If you have a Web site and no sales, In 30 minutes or less you can quickly and easily pinpoint EXACTLY what’s wrong with your site and what you need to do to transform it into a money-making machine! Click here to learn more and get your copy.
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12.28.07
Posted in Business, General at 2:24 pm EST by Michele PW
Setting goals — Your ticket to success
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You know that old saying — if you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there. That’s what happens if you don’t take the time to figure out what your goals are and WRITE them down. There’s power in writing things down. Trust me, I’m a writer. I KNOW.
Figuring out your goals is probably one of the most important and one of the most overlooked steps for creative professionals starting their business. Ideally you should put together a business plan. However, I have yet to meet a creative professional (including myself) who has one. (In fact, if you do have a business plan, please contact me. I’d love to chat with you about it.) Second best is getting your goals down on paper. Here are some things to include.
* Your personal mission statement. What do you want to accomplish in your life? Not just as a creative professional, artist or writer, but as a person. Knowing your mission will make organizing your time much easier.
* Your creative or artistic goals — both long-term and short-term. What do you want to accomplish in three months? Six months? This year? Five years from now?
* Your financial goals — both long-term and short-term. Don’t forget to write down how much money you want to make.
* Your plans for your business — both long-term and short-term. Break it down the same as your creative or artistic goals — three months, six months, one year and five years. Include a marketing plan Read the rest of this entry »
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11.27.07
Posted in General, Notes from PW at 4:50 pm EST by Michele PW
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American subscribers. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s all about good food (definitely one of my favorite things) family, friends and giving thanks (plus we have football thrown in for good measure, especially when it’s the Packers playing the Lions and the Packers are having a kick-butt season!). This year, hubby and I are spending the day with 93-year-old Grandpa (yep, he just turned 93 and still as healthy as a horse).
Anyway, back to what Thanksgiving is really about, which is family, friends and giving thanks (not the food, although that’s a close second). But what I especially want to talk about is giving thanks or gratitude. Gratitude is something that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough (except for this time of year) and it’s really one of our most powerful emotions because it has the capability to change your life (especially when you practice it on a daily basis). In fact, I think it’s so powerful I decided to write a short article on how you can use this practice to improve your business and your life. Enjoy!
Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) is the author of Why Isn’t My Web Site Making Me Any Money? 10 Easy Steps to Make Your Web Site Go Ka-Ching! If you have a Web site and no sales, In 30 minutes or less you can quickly and easily pinpoint EXACTLY what’s wrong with your site and what you need to do to transform it into a money-making machine! Click here to learn more and get your copy
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11.26.07
Posted in Business, Community Relations, General at 4:46 pm EST by Michele PW
I love Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday. Family, food, friends and football thrown in for good measure. But I digress.
What I REALLY like about Thanksgiving is it’s about giving thanks. And I think gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions out there. Why is it so powerful? Because it has the capacity to change your life.
My business and life are going great right now, better than I had planned, but it hasn’t always been that way. There were plenty of times where things were looking pretty bleak. During one particularly bleak time, a friend told me to just start listing everything I had in my life to be grateful for. Now, when things are looking pretty bad, it can be easy to say “everything sucks, I have nothing to be grateful for.” But, if we’re honest, we know that isn’t true. There’s always something, no matter how small, that is in your life you can be grateful for, and sometimes you just need to take a step back to see it.
What’s so amazing about gratitude is it’s Read the rest of this entry »
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