Gagandeep Singh is working as an Internet Marketing Executive for Forte Promotions, which provide high quality promotional products which help businesses to promote their brands in the market.

Almost all companies are spending most of their budget in marketing and promoting their brands because of increasing competition in the market but Most of the marketing campaigns could not see light of the day and get buried under lots of similar marketing campaigns without getting noticed.

Marketing campaigns fail because of the improper planning at earlier phase and wrong implementation. In this article I would be discussing the things you should know for creating a successful marketing campaign.

Setting Your Objective

Define your business objective and the desired results you would like to achieve after your marketing campaigns. You can create separate sets of objectives like long-term and short-term based on their nature.  You need to set up goals which according to you can be easily achieved after the marketing campaign.

Becoming an Expert

Your marketing campaign should focus on qualities which makes your product different than your competitors. Try to establish yourself as an expert so that your customers should trust on your product and services. Share some of your mist valuable content with your audience to build a relationship of trust and credibility.

Conducting Proper Research

Do proper research about your customers and where they are while planning your marketing campaign. You should know what your customers are looking for and your marketing campaign should able to provide the information they are searching for to get successful. Also you should try to find out the effective communication means to interact with your customers so that your message can reach your customers.

Making Attractive Offers

Send them an attractive offer which can encourage them enough to participate in your campaigns. A simple “How to lose weight” won’t get much attention as compared to an attention grabbing offer like “How to Reduce 10kg in 7 days”. Also, you can create promotional products imprinted with your logo, discount codes etc to encourage people to participate in campaign.

Keeping Things Simple

Simplicity sells better. Keep you call-to-action link simple so that users can easily participate in the campaign and take the desired action you want them to take.

Setting a Budget

Set the separate budget for each phase of your campaign depending on the different territories where you want to launch your campaign. Breaking costs of each phase separately would help you to measure success of each phase so that you can understand which part of marketing campaign works better than others.

Setting Benchmarks and Measuring Results

Set benchmarks and milestones to measure your results and keep you motivated. Measuring results would help you to analyze the actual performance of campaigns as compared to your objectives. Track the sources of traffic so that you can know which promotional technique is working better whether its email campaign, online ads or referrals scheme. Analyze results and continue with the most effective methods.

Your Tips for Successful Marketing Campaigns?

The above are just some of the guidelines that a small business owner can follow in order to label a marketing campaign as a successful one. Of course, there are a lot of business owners out there that have came out with numerous ideas to craft super successful marketing campaigns.

With that, I would like you to share with us the most successful marketing campaign that you have ever had with your business and how did you achieve it.

Share your tips and thoughts in the comments section below. Other readers and me will definitely appreciate it.

If you like this week’s tips for small business, subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter now for weekly premium content by submitting your first name and email address using the form below.

Photo Credit: JasonRogersFotographie

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• 5 Social Media Marketing Pitfalls Beginners Must Avoid
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• Weekly Biz Buzz #7 Embrace Social Media Today, Email Copywriting and Step-by-Step Networking
• Interview with Ali Pena, CEO of Forums Event Design & Production

Today, as you are reading this, I am probably taking a chill after a busy weekend of work and study. Are you taking a break this weekend? Or is it still a 7 day work week for you? :p

Do consider taking a break sometimes. People around you like your family members, friends, your employees (because they get to rest ) and of course, your body, will appreciate it. By the way, you are also opening yourself up for ideas by taking a rest.

In this week’s Weekly Biz Buzz, we are going to look at a reminder on why your business should embrace social media TODAY, a useful list of email copywriting tips and for those who are new to networking, a step-by-step networking guide together with do’s and don’ts.

Embrace Social Media Today

A blog post on social media marketing will always catches my attention and 6 Reasons to Embrace Social Media Today by Newt Barrett successfully did that too.

In this blog post, Newt listed 6 reasons why you and your business should embrace social media right now. Most of the things have been repeated all over the place but there’s a point that stood out – most small and medium size companies are not using it.

Social media is not only for big corporations. As long as you are able to outline the places where your target market hangs out on the Internet and all your other marketing strategies are not producing results, you should probably give social media marketing a chance.

Email Copywriting Tips

Collecting email addresses of customers is an integral part of online marketing. Email newsletters and email marketing solutions allow you to get in touch and stay connected with both your customers and prospects.

When you already have a list, the next problem comes. How to get the recipients of your marketing emails to open, read and take action on the emails you sent them?

Michelle Bowles wrote 5 Tips for Effective Email Copywriting which I think is a must read for those who are getting low click through rates and open rates for their email marketing campaigns. I applied some of the tips in each of my campaigns and you should too!

Step-by-Step Guide to Networking Success

Networking is important for business and I have emphasized on that in Motivation Tips for Entrepreneurs: Start Networking. I know some entrepreneurs always have problems talking to people at conferences or networking events.

If you are also facing the problem, read Entrepreneurs: How to Use Networking to Market Your Business and Yourself by Chris Brown. In this blog post, Chris provided a step-by-step guide you can use to make your next networking event a success. Pay attention to each of the steps mentioned, I am guilty for the food thing too. :p

A couple of reads that you can get if you want to improve your networking skills are: How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes and Make Your Contacts Count by Anne Baber.

Enjoy Your Weekend! Remember, Plan Your Next Day Off!

That’s all for this week’s Weekly Biz Buzz I guess. I really hope that you learned something from the list of resources that I shared above.

Remember, plan your next day off. It’s good for you, your business and the people around you. Let me know if you already have a plan.

What do you think about the tips and resources that I shared above?

Leave your opinion in the comments section below.

If you like this blog post, you may want to subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter where you will get premium content by submitting your first name and email address using the form below.

Photo Credit: nattu

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Is it worth spending the money to host a designated event for your small business or an upcoming product? Are product launch events only for big corporations?

Today, I have Ali Pena on Wayne Liew Dot Com Entrepreneur Interviews. Ali is the CEO of Forums Event Design & Production and in this interview, she shared with us the ins and outs as well as some tips for holding an event for your business.

This interview is a little long but I’m sure you will benefit a lot from it. Information that Ali shared are just too good to pass on if you have been pondering about hosting your own company or business event.

Let’s start the interview. Shall we?

Ali Pena, CEO of Forums Event Design & Production Interview

Wayne: Hi Ali, welcome to Wayne Liew Dot Com Entrepreneur Interviews. It’s my pleasure to have you as an interview guest.

Ali: Thanks Wayne, I’m excited to be speaking with you!

Wayne: Ali, I understand that you are the CEO of Forums Event Design & Production. Before we jump right in to the questions that I have for you today. Can you briefly introduce yourself and talk a little bit about your background so that my blog readers can have an idea of who you are?

Ali: Sure, Forums Event Design & Production is a corporate event planning company that specializes in Latin American & US Hispanic markets. We provide A-Z planning services for clients like Dell, HP, Telefonica, etc. As the CEO of the company, I’m in charge of growing the company and expanding into new industries. I’m also responsible for marketing the company and shaping our image.

Wayne: Let’s talk a little bit more about the company. I know that it is an event planning company but can you elaborate a little bit more on what role does the company play in event planning and how does it differ from other event planning firms?

Ali: We provide all the services necessary to execute the logistics of an event, from the design of the invitation, to getting the word out and confirming participation, to planning out all the logistics – what food will be served, how will the event be set up, how will registration be organized, arrangements for speakers, etc. We also help coordinate decor & entertainment, promotional materials, giveaways- the list goes on.

Ali: In essence, what we do is provide support on every single detail and need that our clients have in the planning of their events. What differentiates us from our competition is our focus. We specialize in Latin American markets, so if a Fortune 500 company needs a conference or series of event in Latin America, we can help them. The same goes for companies that are based in Latin America that want to bring their events to the US. We have years of experience working in the region so we can offer our clients resources that other firms without this focus can’t.

Wayne: Yes, this is one thing that stood out when I was doing my research for this interview. What if someone wish to hold a general event without targeting the Latin America region? Can they seek assistance from your company as well or you guys just focus on clients wishing to hold an event in Latin America?

Ali: They can definitely contact us. We plan a lot of events in American markets because our clients are always looking to bring groups here. For example, we’ve planned event in Colorado, Houston, Orlando and more. Our strength is in Latin America but the work of event planning is the same across markets. Working in Latin American markets is sometimes tougher because they don’t have the same resources that are available in the states. We often find coordinating event here easier.

Wayne: Interesting… Another interesting aspect that caught my eyes about the company is that, correct me if I’m wrong, the leadership team comprises of your sisters and it seems like each of you has different but complementary skill set. How did the formation of the leadership team happens? I mean, how did you and your sisters come up with an idea of starting an event management company?

Ali: The company was founded by our mother, who was in charge of events for a computer distributor before she was laid off. My sister joined the company soon after it was founded, but I was working in advertising and did not join until a few years later.

Ali: My sister, who is my twin, is very strong at math and analytics. She’s very passionate about numbers.She runs the company’s finances and keeps us in check, money wise. I am a creative type and I have the vision for where I would like us to go and what kind of company I would like us to be. We balance each other out. My mother is a doer, so she brings a strength in execution to the mix.

Ali: A lot of people get the idea that working for family means that you get a lot of breaks and your job is easier. I would say that the opposite is true. Both my sister and I had to work hard and prove ourselves before we assumed leadership of the company. Now, as a team, the three of us work great together.

Wayne: That’s nice with a lesson to be noted. Personally, I have seen businesses trying to host events, big or small, on their own and some have seen a reasonable amount of success while others encountered failures. Why do you think employing an event production company like yours can help boost the success rate?

Ali: Because usually the person in charge of the events does not have the time. Our clients have large workloads that they have to deal with on a daily basis. An event will fall to the bottom of the list.

Ali: Planning an event, when you’re doing it right, takes a lot of thinking about the details. If you’ve got a long list of things to do, your focus is going to be to get the event done as fast as possible. We come in with a complete focus on making the event a success because it is our only work.

Ali: I have made it a policy for all of our planners to pore over every single detail and come up with the most efficient ways to execute the plans and then take that to our client. We become a member of our client’s team. He or she doesn’t have to worry about anything because we’ve already thought ahead for them.

Wayne: Cool. Ali, can you let us know what are the two most popular types of event and what they can achieve for companies hosting them?

Ali: For us, the two most popular types of events are multi-day conferences and product or training seminars.

Ali: When it comes to multi-day conferences, they allow companies to sell by networking, giving their customers/ partners valuable information and also the opportunity for their sales force to have one-on-one time with the customers. We’ve had events where multi-million dollar sales were closed. They also allow customers to get excited about your brand. Once customers have a chance to experience what you have to offer, hands on, and see the passion that your sales team has for your product/ services, they walk away wanting to be part of that, which ultimately leads to loyalty and a good feeling about the company.

Ali: The product/training seminars are great because they give customers one-on-one time with the company’s sales teams. We recently coordinated a product seminar where the attendees were allowed to look at how the product was made, touch it and ask questions about it directly to the salesperson. It was very successful and resulted in a number of sales for the company.

Wayne: If a company or organization would like to work with you guys to host an event, what will be the process that they need to go through after getting in touch with your company?

Ali: We’ll first schedule a conference call or meeting to determine the client’s needs. After that, we’ll present a quote, usually with a few options as to what can be done, and discuss the quote with the client. If the client is ok with everything, they’ll sign a project agreement and we’ll get started on the work right away.

Ali: What’s most important is to make sure to come to us with a budget that way we can keep our ideas within the price that a client has for the event or series of events. We’re real big on budgeting and are used to working within the funds that our clients have available.

Wayne: Staying within budgets is definitely a big advantage, especially if a particular client is trying to host his or her own event for the first time. Forums Event Design & Production’s portfolio features big brands like Dell, Apple, Telefonica, HP and some other well known companies. Does the company accept small and medium size enterprises as clients and if yes, how will the process be different as compared to a client with a big brand?

Ali: Of course. We’ve worked with small and medium size companies as well. There is no difference in the process. We pay the same amount of attention to our smaller clients as we do to the big brands.

Wayne: That’s great! Let’s say a company has an idea of hosting or organizing an event, what will be your Top 3 things that they should pay attention to or do you have any tips for them?

Ali: 1) Budget: They should make sure that the funds they have available will cover or accommodate the ideas that they for it, and their wants and needs.

Ali: 2) Experience: They need to make sure that everything they are planning for the event revolves around giving their audience a good experience with the brand. It should give them a better understand of what the brand can offer and should be memorable enough that the audience walks away with a feeling of wanting more.

Ali: 3) Results: Companies should be setting goals as to what they want to accomplish with the event and then measuring the results. A lot of clients to measure attendee opinions or look at what they accomplished for the spend. It’s important to know what you achieved so that you can improve the event for next time and use that information to keep your marketing going with post event communication, special offers, etc.

Ali: You have to see your events as a dialogue with your audience. It’s important to keep raising the bar so that they know that you’re hearing them, and so they keep coming back to you.

Wayne: That’s is so true. Ali, I am sure that my blog readers will have a lot to gain from this interview. Before we round this interview up, are there any things that you would like to add that I didn’t cover with my questions?

Ali: I would just reiterate that events are a great opportunity for you to build a relationship with your customers. You should make sure that they offer a great brand experience and that you extend the life of the event by following them up with post event communication.

Wayne: Thanks for the tip, How can people get in touch with you or your company if they are interested to learn more about the services or just to get extra information on hosting an event for their business?

Ali: They can visit our website at www.forumseventdesign.com. Our contact information is located on the site. They can ask to speak to me directly if they have any questions or would like us to quote a project.

Wayne: Awesome. Ali Pena, CEO of Forums Event Design & Production, I guess that’s all we have time for today. Thanks again for doing this interview with me. I really appreciate it.

Ali: Thanks to you, Wayne. I think you’re doing a great job with your blog and I’m happy to be a part of it.

Ideas on Business Events and Event Production

As a small business owner or an entrepreneur, have you ever thought of holding events or product launch ceremonies to get the word out about your business or products?

What are some of the experience or ideas that you have came across regarding hosting business events or product launches?

Feel free to share them in the comment section below.

If you like the interview above and would like to receive notifications of upcoming interviews, subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter now by submitting your first name and email address using the form below.

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Mobile marketing is becoming a big buzzword in business and marketing. I am predicting that it might become bigger than social media. Possible? Yeah! But why should you care as an entrepreneur or small business owner?

Here are some stats from Mobile Marketing Trends 2009 to spice you up:

• Over 95% of new phones sold today have web browsers and over 70 million US consumers use them regularly.
• Annual SMS sent in 2008 amounts to 1.01 trillion.
• In September, Apple recorded 2 billion Apple iPhone App downloads.

How do you capitalize on this major trend? Cell phones or mobile phones usage is definitely not a fad and they are not going anywhere soon. Here are 5 Mobile Marketing Ideas for Your Small Business.

Third Party Mobile Applications

There are already a lot of mobile applications out there. If developing your own application seems too much, try to work out a deal with companies that already have a presence in the mobile world or leverage free tools or sites that are accessible via a mobile phone.

Popular Mobile Applications
Popular applications such as Google Maps and Yelp already have a significant number of users. Listing your business on Google Maps using Google Local Business Center can get your business targeted attention.

Some popular phone applications also allow ad placements, which is another way which you can use to get your business some exposure. Some of the popular mobile advertising networks are Pinch Media, Medialets and AdMob. However, ads on applications can only be a distraction for application users and they are hardly non-value adding.

Mobile Version of Social Media Sites
Mobile sites are sites that are optimized for mobile phone browsers. If you direct your phone to http://www.wayneliew.com, you will see one in action.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have their mobile version of their sites as well as mobile applications that have direct or indirect relationships with them. In order to capitalize on this, it is crucial for your company or business to have a presence on these social media platforms.

Mobile-Friendly Business Website

In order to tap the growth in the usage of mobile web browsers, it is important to make sure that your business or company website is mobile-friendly. Search engines are also starting to pay more attention to the mobile space and more people are searching on search engines using their phone.

All these make creating and optimizing your business site for mobile search engines extremely important. You can always hire someone to create a mobile-friendly site for you. If you are using a Wordpress blog, get a mobile version of your blog by installing a plugin called MobilePress.

Read: Mobile Website Design and Creation, Mobile Site Optimization

SMS Marketing or Text Messaging Marketing

SMS or text message marketing is nothing new unless you don’t use a mobile phone. Just like email marketing, SMS marketing involves lead generation (acquiring prospects or customers phone numbers), relationship building, value adding and of course, selling.

Reaction rate for SMS messages is a whopping 70% according to Mobile Marketing Watch while for email messages is only 30%. By the way, when is the last time you leave a SMS message unread?

If you are interested in this marketing method, you need to employ a company providing SMS marketing solutions. Stay clear from spamming as your number will be blacklisted by telecommunications provider and your business brand will be tarnished.

One thing to keep in mind with SMS marketing is that most of the cost are passed on to the consumers. Make sure that you know the price per SMS that your customers will be billed for and more importantly, does the price matter to them.

Mobile Commerce

Mobile commerce will allow your customers to purchase or order something from you via mobile sites or mobile applications. Currently, most of the products sold using mobile commerce are mobile content such as ringtones. Mobile banking, which is banking conducted via your phone is also another form of mobile commerce.

The set up for such a platform will be higher because of the need to implement security solutions and payment gateway. Not many business actually require mobile commerce as ordering of products can actually be made through a phone call. Thus, evaluate your customer needs and the nature of your business properly before spending the money on mobile commerce.

Interactive Mobile Applications

Mobile applications are better for engaging customers and prospects as they allow a longer interaction time as compared to, say, a banner ad or a 30 seconds television commercial.

Building a mobile application from ground can be very costly, not to mention the headaches trying to rectify bugs and communicating what you want to the application developers.

Check out 13 Tools for Building Your Own iPhone App. These solutions are way cheaper than building an mobile application yourself. Write out what kind of application that your customers or prospects will need and go through the tools listed here.

Integration with Non-Mobile Marketing Strategies

The above will be my 5 Mobile Marketing Ideas for Your Small Business. As I have always said, only take up a marketing strategy when it suits your business and target market. Don’t do it just because anyone is doing it.

Also, ask these questions before dipping your toes into any mobile marketing strategies. Are your customers savvy with mobile phones? Are they willing to pay in order to get the information they need from you?

Always think of ways on how you can integrate mobile marketing into your current marketing strategies. For example, if you are planning to hold a contest or a sweepstake to promote your business, what kind of role can mobile play?

Leave a comment below with your questions or even more ideas regarding to mobile marketing for small businesses.

If you like the content above, feel free to subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter to get premium content as well as notifications of upcoming blog posts. Just submit your first name and email address using the form below.

Photo Credits: edans and fluzo

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This week on Weekly Biz Buzz, I am going to share with you 4 great articles that will help you not only grow your business, but also to increase your business bottom line.

How’s your week?

I failed. A ongoing project of mine failed miserably. I learned two lessons and I want you to keep them in mind too:

• Know yourself. Do you have the financial resources, knowledge or experience to start a manufacturing business? Always start something that is within your means.
• Learn before you start. The last thing you want happen after a project commences is to realize there’s too many things about the business that you don’t know about.

OK, enough about myself, coming up are the blog posts that you should care as an entrepreneur or small business owner.

Make Your Business Greener

I know, I know, green business is a buzzword that you’re getting tired of. But wait, this is not about starting a green business or adding a green product to your product line, this is about making your small business greener.

The team over at Small Business Trends did it once again by coming up with 100 Small Green Small Business Tips. In this list, you will find 100 tips to make your business greener.

My tip is in the report too and here it is:

Turn off your laptop and resist from turning it on during conferences, meetups or other networking events. The purpose of attending a networking event is to have conversations with people. Keep the work at your office.

Paul Smith, a green business consultant, once said in my interview with me that sustainability is slowly becoming that is a must for businesses.Thus, as an entrepreneur and small business owner, you should read this report and look at the possibilities of making your business greener.

Become an Industry Expert

One way of standing out in a saturated niche or industry is to become or position yourself as an industry expert. When people come to you for information or with questions about your industry, you will become their go-to person if they proceed to purchase a product or to subscribe themselves to a service.

Susan Payton wrote a blog post on Mashable, HOW TO: Become an Expert in Your Industry. In her blog post, she detailed a list of things that you can do, both online and off, in order to gain the expert status in your industry. Definitely worth your time, read it and APPLY!

Lead Generation by Speaking for Free

I don’t have a lot of opportunity to speak at networking events and trade shows other than my first, which is the Web 2.0 Summit here in Malaysia, where I have presented 5 Social Media Marketing Pitfalls Beginners Must Avoid.

John Jantsch published 5 Tips for Getting More leads from Speaking, which have caught my attention. John laid down why is it so important to forgo the mindset that in order for you to open your mouth, someone has to pay for it.

Speaking gets you leads and these leads will eventually become paying customers or clients for your business. John also gives you 5 tips on how to get more of such leads.

Tired of New Social Media Sites?

If you are tired of all the new social media sites that are being launched on a daily basis, you should read 7 Things to Consider Before Joining a New Social Media Site.

You will find tips on how to evaluate whether a newly established social media site is going to worth your time. This is extremely crucial if you are an entrepreneur who wants to make the most out of your time and effort.

How’s Your Week in Business?

So how’s your week in business? Are you facing certain problems that you would like to share? Or you have learned something new that you think will benefit others?

Post them in the comments section below.

If you like this post, you might want to subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter to get both premium content as well as notifications for upcoming blog posts. Just subscribe by submitting your first name and email address using the form below.

Photo Credit: ^riza^

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The importance of social media is noted but what is very frustrating is when you go online to search for the right community and social media sites to set up a presence, you are going to be greeted by a thousand sites, all trying to get your participation.

Registering an account with all of them is not a wise choice because not all communities are created equal. The following are 7 Things to Consider Before Joining a New Social Media Site and I really hope that this post can help you out in doing a quick evaluation to find out whether a platform is worth your time.

Community Culture

Different communities on the Internet have different acceptance levels for businesses and these levels might differ for the type of business that you are in.

Also, you need to take note of community elements such as the depth and type of discussions, how community leaders interact and how to garner eyeballs of the members. If you find it hard to come up with a strategy for a community because of these culture elements, then this might be the platform that you should assign a lower priority to.

Presence of Target Market

This have been stressed again and again but I still see some companies jumping onto generic social media sites like Facebook and Twitter just because, well, every business is on it. This is just like spending thousands on newspaper ads or TV ads because other companies are doing it.

Is your target market active on social media sites? OK, most people are into social media now. But do your customers want to interact with you on social media?

Cost/Benefit Analysis

You need to know the results that you will be getting from this site, whether it is the amount of traffic, newsletter signups or even sales, if you are into e-commerce.

As mentioned in my blog post, 5 Social Media Marketing Pitfalls Beginners Must Avoid, social media is not free. Yes, the registration part is free but your time and your employees’ time are not. Focus your energies and time on platforms that can bring you results.

Site Owner Aspirations and Efforts

There are a lot of social media communities out there but not all are well maintained and have the growth potential. A huge part of whether a community will do well and not slowly die off is up to the person behind the community.

Does the people supporting the community frequently communicate with their users via emails, blogs or through other channels like Twitter? Are basic tasks of running a community (weeding out spam content, debugging, etc.) jobs well done?

Suitability for Overall Internet Marketing Strategy

Just like what I have mentioned in the opening of this article, having a presence on all social media platforms is not feasible. Make sure that the new web community that you are about to join fits into the focus and things that you want to achieve with Internet marketing.

If your business revolves around flowers or gardening and your Internet marketing goal is to simply get in front of more gardeners, spending time on professional social networking platforms like LinkedIn and Ecademy might not be the right choice. Some social networks integrate with each other easily so you might want to find out such possibilities.

First Impression

People often say “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover.” This may be true but you can directly tell from your first impression whether a particular community is right for your business.

Are the members active? You want to engage and communicate with prospects and customers, not yelling to no one in an empty hall. Are the contents interesting or filled with spammy links to fake business opportunity sites?

Industry Reviews and Usage Tips

If you are stuck between joining or ditching a new social media community, head over to Google and find out what others are talking about a particular platform. Often times, you will even end up finding tips on how to get the most out of the platform for your business.

The authoritative blogs covering social media that you should follow are:

• Mashable (MUST subscribe!)
• Techcrunch – Covers startups but aren’t most social media communities in the the startup stage?
• ReadWriteWeb – Startups, business and Internet trends in general.
• ChrisBrogan.com – An authoritative figure in the social media arena with mind-boggling insights to share all the time.
• Hubspot Blog – A marketing software company’s blog covering Internet marketing tips and buzz. Check out their TV show, Hubspot TV too!

Share Your Community with Me!

What are the communities that you or your business have set up a presence and what have led to the decision? Let me know in the comments section below.

If you like this blog post, you may want to subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter to get your hands on the premium content I offer. Just submit your first name and email address using the form below.

Photo Credit: martinhoward’s Hallway

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Things can be very frustrating for young entrepreneurs from time to time, especially when faced with touch challenges that always seem to have the power to crush our ideas or even our established businesses.

Some may argue that it is all about the passion that you have for your venture or business. Well, let me help you to get this out of your head. No successful entrepreneur enjoys easy days all year long.

You’ll get frustrated with things not turning out the way you expect it to turn out, you’ll get tired of doing the same thing over and over again and worse, you’ll might even feel that you are in the wrong business.

Here are some tips that I practise every day to stay committed to my ventures and to stay motivated. By motivated, I mean waking up and can’t wait to work on the tasks that I need to complete for the day.

Take Time to Relax

We all love and enjoy our 20 hours (extreme exaggeration? ) work day. However, you need to get some rest once in a while. The quality of work that you produce when you are awake and aware is always better than the work delivered when your body is tired.

Free up some slots in your busy schedule for your hobbies or things that you enjoy doing (other than than your venture :p ). For me, it will be watching videos, playing computer games and running. I can tell you that other than plain relaxing, I do get some inspiration and ideas out of those moments.

Avoid Repetitive Tasks

Repetitive tasks like general paperwork, filing, accounting, etc. is boring and they are the last things you would want to focus on to stay motivated. Also, no investors will be happy if you are spending time and money on them (paraphrased Jason Calacanis on TwiST).

Outsource these tasks or hire someone to do it for you. You are in the business not because of these tasks so why let them bog you down?

Read: 9 Alarming Reasons to Outsource or Hire

Set Deadlines for Tasks

When inserting items into your to-do list, always make sure that you attach a deadline to them and don’t postpone it! Although this is not a flashy productivity tip, it is proven that deadline is still one of the best motivator to get things done.

Read: The Art of Self Imposed Deadline

Talk to Entrepreneurial Connections

Entrepreneurs understand entrepreneurs. When you need the right inspiration, talk to someone like-minded, an entrepreneur (even an aspiring one) or a business owner. Through different ways, these people inspire you to take action or might give you ideas that you have never thought of before.

If you haven’t been networking? What are you waiting for? It’s is the biggest thing on Earth that you should be doing as an entrepreneur! Head over to my contact page and send me an intro about yourself, I’m free to chat with you.

Read: Motivation Tips for Entrepreneurs: Start Networking

Ideas, Ideas and More Ideas

If you’re faced with a problem whereby conventional solution will not work, try brainstorming for ideas. By opening yourself up to ideas instead of focusing on the one solution that wouldn’t work, you are able to kick the annoying frustration away!

Absorb ideas that come to you but don’t let them sit. Go through your compilation, filter them and most importantly, IMPLEMENT them. Most of my ideas come from the Internet, mainly through the use of StumbleUpon, Digg and Youtube.

Read: 16 Ideas on How to Brainstorm

How Do You Stay Motivated?

The above are the things that I do to stay motivated. I’m sure that you as an entrepreneur, have your own way.

Do you mind sharing some tips on how do you stay motivated as an entrepreneur in the comments section below?

If you like this blog post, you may want to subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter, where you will get premium content , by submitting your first name and email address using the form below.

Photo Credit: mikebaird

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• 10 Money Tips for Young Entrepreneurs to Avoid “Premature Bankruptcy”

Do you dread walking to your work desk because of the piles of papers and unorganized stationeries that are all over the place? The tidiness and the style of your workspace contribute a lot to productivity and work efficiency.

This week, I am proud to have Sayeh Pezeshki, the CEO and Office Stylist or Sorting with Style. In this interview, she elaborated on her story as an entrepreneur, why office styling is nothing fancy and how it can lead to better productivity.

Also, by reading this interview, you will get Sayeh’s 3 steps system on how to make small changes that can improve your workspace. Let’s get started right away!

Interview with Sayeh Pezeshki, Owner of Sorting with Style

Wayne: Hi Sayeh, how are you? I’m glad to have you on this week’s Wayne Liew Dot Com Entrepreneur Interviews.

Sayeh: Hi Wayne, thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure chatting with you.

Wayne: Nice chatting with you as well. Just before we get started, why don’t you take some time to introduce yourself to the blog readers and talk a little bit about your background as an entrepreneur?

Sayeh: My name is Sayeh Pezeshki, and I am a 3rd time entrepreneur. I currently own an insurance agency, an Internet marketing company with a focus on social media and PPC for retailers, and I am the CEO and Office Stylist of SortingwithStyle.com.

Wayne: From the bio on your blog, I learned that you started your first business at a young age of 17. What business is that?

Sayeh: When I was in high school I started a handbag company, but ran into quite a few problems after launching. My manufacturer shut down, the logo designer had issues and so forth. It was a great learning experience none the less. Though that didn’t work out, it didn’t stop me from launching my next business, a multi-line insurance agency. You have to dust yourself off and start again if you really want to be an entrepreneur.

Wayne: Interesting, and I guess that’s the spirit of an entrepreneur. Let us dive right into your current ventures, which are Sorting with Style and The Office Stylist. What are they all about?

Sayeh: Sorting with Style is the premier destination for office style. Featuring brands like Russell + Hazel, Thomas Paul and stylish office supply companies, Sorting with Style pairs efficiency and elegance to provide consumers with not only a one-stop shop for all office organization needs, but a resource of information on creating Office Style in a Manilla World.

Sayeh: My blog, The Office Stylist provides readers with resources, tips, and office styling help to bring inspiration and style to their workspace.

Wayne: Sayeh, I know that you are very passionate about office styling through your tweets and blog posts. What actually is the basic idea of office styling and what problem that you saw which prompted you to start this business?

Sayeh: The idea of office styling is bringing style and fun wherever you can to watch your "workitude"(work + attitude) change for the better. By making small changes to your workspace and adding in elements of color or inspiration, you can see a shift in your productivity and overall attitude about your work.

Sayeh: After seeing countless boring and bland offices, I decided I wanted to bring fun and individuality into workspaces and cubicles everywhere. We spend more time at our desks then we do anywhere else so it’s the one place we should really make our own.

Sayeh: I want to inspire others to take the time to make small and low cost changes to their desks and spaces to make it really their own. From assistants, to CEOs, work at home moms to head of HR, we should all feel inspired in our workspace. It also helps that I have always loved shopping for school supplies, then when I started working, office supplies. I saw a need in the market and I decided to fill it.

Wayne: People often neglect the idea of styling up their office because they think it’s a fancy activity and all they want is just a workplace to get things done. What’s your take on this "myth" and can you share with us a few benefits that a business owner or a small business can get through office styling or designing?

Sayeh: We spend 40 + hours a week in our workplace. Imagine you can’t stand being at your desk; You have papers over flowing, drawers stuffed with junk, and bland and boring pencil holders. Now, clear off part of your desk, replace that pencil holder with one that you love, and you’ll noticed a difference in your overall feeling and attitude about your workspace and work in general. If you dread sitting at your desk, or your desk is over flowing with papers etc., you aren’t being as productive as you could be.

Sayeh: Office styling definitely isn’t anything fancy. I have a simple 3 step system that I always use and share with others that can make a huge difference in their space. We aren’t talking about doing a full re-design of an office, but simply making small changes so the workspace is truly your own.

Wayne: Do you mind sharing the 3 steps system because I’m sure it will help people reading this interview to have a new perception about how their office space should look like?

Sayeh: Sure thing Wayne. The 3 steps are: Divide + Release, Color + Conquer, and Touch + Transform. Let me explain…

Sayeh: Divide + Release: Office organization is often the biggest obstacle and most challenging hurdle when beginning to think about Office Style. You are probably thinking, how can I even think about my Office Style when I can’t see under the piles on my desk?

Sayeh: Divide + Release is an easy and quick way to make a difference with that office clutter. Look at your desk and divide things into like with like – all your finance folders in one pile, magazines in another, etc. Then make what I call a Release pile which is where you will be tossing out the things you don’t need. Going through the mess or clutter is a lot easier when you Divide + Release.

Sayeh: Color + Conquer: What colors inspire you most? When you surround yourself with colors that light you up, you infuse your workspace with positive energy that radiates out into all the work you do. Pick one or two colors to stick with in your office space-this not only makes your office look more cohesive, but it makes you feel good for bringing in something you love.

Sayeh: It doesn’t have to be much to add a few bits of your favorite color. Colors can be represented by a desktop background picture, book covers, or a really pretty paperweight, vase or even just a pencil holder. What really matters here is what colors inspire YOU.

Sayeh: Touch + Transform: What are five things you touch in your office everyday? For most people it’s their computer, their mouse, pens, and pencils, phone, scissors, file folders, post-its and notebooks. What if you took every item you touched and transformed it into a thing of beauty or inspiration? No more broken pencils in your cup, instead choose some pens in your fave colors, throw out manila folders and replace with patterned, make your mouse pad something that makes you smile when you move your mouse.

Sayeh: Choose a pencil cup that really brightens the room or make a collage on your pencil jar of favorite images that inspire you. Write a note to your assistant on a post-it that pops, or customize your desktop background with an image you love. If everything you touch everyday is transformed into something fun and what you love, soon you’ll have a swing in your step even as you are doing the most mundane of tasks.

Sayeh: I get a lot of people who email me with specific office styling questions that I answer on www.TheOfficeStylist.com too.

Wayne: Wow, that’s a lot of handy tips there. On The Office Stylist, you share a lot of examples on how an office makeover can be done as well. What is the best case study that you have came across in terms of improved work efficiency, productivity and office culture after a makeover?

Sayeh: Hmm… Overall I’d say everyone who has followed my system has seen a vast improvement. When I launched Sorting with Style, I was actually in the process of moving my office so I was the first person to experience my own office styling. I can tell you it was a vast difference in not only how I felt at my desk, but in my creativity as well. I felt much more inspired in a space that was my own vs. pre picked plastic, black or beige supplies and furniture.

Wayne: Nice… This proves that the system works and you actually walk the talk. What do your clients or customers look for when they come to you? Is it mostly questions pertaining to office equipments you have on sale at Sorting with Style, or most of them are seeking for your consultation on office styling?

Sayeh: I get a lot of requests with finding a particular item for the office as well as specific problems they need help with. As an example I had someone email me looking for stylish shredders. Some people want a desk makeover which I do virtually with tips, their photos, and my suggestions.

Sayeh: There are others with a specific problem such as having a boring cork board and not sure how to embellish it. I offer getting fabric or a piece of wall paper to cover it with. Low cost, and it’s personalized.

Wayne: Well, of all entrepreneurs that I know, you are definitely the go-to person for office styling. Of course, we can’t cover anything in one interview and The Office Stylist is a nice blog to follow for office styling tips. Other than that, can you recommend some other sites or books that one should read in order to learn more about office styling?

Sayeh: Thank you, Wayne . As far as other office styling resources the only thing that I can suggest is home decor magazines that you can get inspiration from such as Living etc and House Beautiful.

Wayne: Sayeh, you have definitely shared a lot throughout this interview. Before we finish things up, how can people contact or connect with you if they have questions on office styling or just to learn more about business from you?

Sayeh: You can email me at sayeh@sortingwithstyle.com and follow me on Twitter @officestylist.

Wayne: Cool! Sayeh, thanks again for doing this interview with me. I’m sure my blog readers with appreciate what you have shared in this interview and I wish you all the best with your current and future ventures.

Sayeh: Thank you for having me, Wayne. I hope that everyone enjoyed and learned a bit from our interview. I look forward to reading more other interviews and insight on your site.

What is Your Thought on Office Styling?

How does your workspace look like? Feel free to publish your workspace on your blog or somewhere on the Internet and let me know about it.

Do you find the tips given by Sayeh to be helpful? Do you have some other tips that you would like to add?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Also, if you like this interview and would like to receive notifications for upcoming interviews, subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter now by submitting your first name and email address using the form below.

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Premature bankruptcy is a joke, no offense.

Starting out young is wonderful, starting out young makes you a shining star among the crowd and starting out young means you are reaping the advantages that the world offers much earlier. However, being a young entrepreneur can be disastrous if you don’t keep a close eye on your finances.

This week, I have decided to share 10 money tips with all young entrepreneurs reading this blog so we can stay away from the Generation Debt crowd and avoid the chances of suffering what I call the “premature bankruptcy”.

Take Charge of Your Personal Finance

Personal finance management might seem to be an agenda merely for adults. However, if you seriously think about it, money and your state of finance will not only play a huge role in your life but they also influence the course of both your existing and upcoming ventures.

To get started, register for a free personal finance software account at either Mint, Wesabe (for both US and non-US users) or Quicken Online. Start tracking all your personal expenses and income.

Set Financial Goals

Just like running your business, you need goals to track your progress and to provide the motivation to take action. Personal finance goals can be divided into short term goals which include spending budgets, monthly savings amount and long term goals like a long term projection of your personal net worth.

Start Reading on Money and Finance

Learn how money should work for you and by reading the relevant books and resource sites, you are able to acquire some basic ideas of how to get the most out of the money that you earned and ultimately, achieve financial success in the future.

Recommended Personal Finance Readings for Teenagers:

• Rich Dad, Poor Dad – A MUST READ classic by Robert T. Kiyosaki
• Stepcase Lifehack Money Section comprises of the most comprehensive and easy-to-understand blog posts about money and personal finance without all the technical jargons.
• Top 100+ Personal Finance Blogs if you are really committed.

Start Saving

First, let me list out some frugal living blogs that I am subscribed to:

• Frugal Living Blog by Erin Huffstetler
• Frugal Village by Sara Noel
• Wise Bread

Trust me, after subscribing to these blogs for a few days, you will start to realize that you can save money on anything, literally, and even a few cents is considered good (although I am not that cheap :p ). Get the same value by paying less. Why not?

Why save? Have you heard of the popular saying, “Prepare your umbrella before it rains?” Also, by saving, you are keeping up cash that could be invested in your upcoming venture or could be used to expand your current one.

Do You Really Need It?

Admit it! About 90% of the time, we buy stuffs and we regret about it later. Perhaps not, but the product will be sitting on the shelf for years to come after the excitement over it is over within a week or so.

Here’s a tip for you. Whenever you have a sudden urge to buy something, write them down on a post-in note or on a piece of paper instead of immediately rushing to the store or logging into your Amazon account to purchase it. Let it sit there for a couple of weeks, you will find that you don’t actually need it anymore.

Avoid Credit Cards and Debt

Being a teenager or someone young is not easy nowadays. Banks and financial institutions are all targeting people like you and me to sign up for a credit card or to have your signature on the Contract of Sorrow, i.e. a debt agreement. Read: Avoid the “Generation Debt” Trap by Lisa Smith.

Spending the money before you earn it always seems attractive but the reality is always uglier. Do you know what will happen if you realized later that you are unable to repay the debt? Well, you will get a status called “premature bankrupt”.

OK, perhaps things won’t be that bad, well, imagine working for the rest of your life just to pay off the debt. The passion of running a venture which you are always proud of as an entrepreneur will no longer be there because it will just be all about the money.

Understand How Investing Works

Make it a habit to start reading and understanding the various types of investing options out there. Investopedia is a good place to start. Apart from the interest that you earn through bank savings account, there are a lot of investing options out there that you can use to grow your wealth through multiple income streams.

All young entrepreneurs that have read Rich Dad, Poor Dad or those that are into investing should be aware that with higher promised returns, come higher risks. Thus, improving your knowledge is crucial and in fact, the emphasis should be on the research phase prior to placing your money on an investment.

Understand How Financial Statements Work

Financial statements are very important for a business. The numbers presented are able to give you a highly accurate picture on how well a business is performing.

Whether you are using it for the evaluation of companies that you are interested in placing your money on or just to measure the performance of your own venture, you should at least have a basic knowledge on how to interpret financial statements. By the way, you don’t need to have an accounting degree to understand them.

Think Twice about Business Opportunities

Most entrepreneurs are boiling pots for ideas. Some ideas can be started immediately while some others might require a substantial upfront capital. Apart from this, we often get “revolutionary ideas” or “paradigm-shifting technology” pitch from others.

Evaluate these opportunities properly before splashing a huge amount of cash into them. Just like picking a company to place your investment money, you need to be cautious and see through the bells and whistles of the presented ideas.

Filter Your Business Expenses

Every business needs to incur expenses but a sound entrepreneur picks his expenses with due care. Avoid unnecessary expenses and save the funds for emergency use such as an unexpected crisis. Many times we have observed startups overly spending on things like a big office space even though their product is only in the development stage.

If there is a cheaper option for service providers and suppliers that are able to offer their products and services at a better or at the same level of quality as the existing ones, negotiate for a better rate or consider a switch. You’re in a business, not a charity for your suppliers.

Your Tip to Avoid Premature Bankruptcy Please?

Do you have more money and personal finance tips to share with all the young entrepreneurs reading this blog post?

Just leave a comment below with your tip or any questions that you have about my tips above.

If you like the content above, subscribe to Wayne Liew Dot Com Newsletter to get your weekly dose of premium content by submitting your name and email address using the form below.

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David King, an Internet marketer focusing on social media marketing agreed to do an interview with me, where we chatted about social media marketing and David shared a lot of tips in regards of that, especially on Facebook and Twitter.

Something that made David stood out as an Internet marketer is the fact that he runs a weekly live show. This allows him to gather a loyal audience and follower base, which is in line with his other social media marketing efforts.

In this interview with David King, we touched on a few important areas which small business owners and entrepreneurs should pay attention to when it comes to social media marketing and David also offered a lot of tips which you will definitely enjoy. Let’s check out the interview that we had!

David King, The Internet Business King Interview

Wayne: Hey David, welcome to Wayne Liew Dot Com Entrepreneurs Interview. Glad to have you today!

David: Thanks for having me Wayne! it is my pleasure!

Wayne: David, I don’t know how many times you have done this but do you mind introducing yourself, talk a little bit about your background and how you got into Internet Marketing?

David: I started off in Internet marketing when I was in middle school, believe it or not. I grew up in a household with 3 siblings and money was a little tight so I always wanted to better myself in that area.

David: I was always into technology and was fascinated with computers at a young age but when I discovered how cool the Internet was, I was hooked. And when I learned that "you can make money online", I knew that was what I wanted to do for sure!

David: The first course I got was from a web marketer who actually passed away and it was called "Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet" by Corey Rudl. After devouring that course I just kept learning and growing, playing around creating websites and blogs and driving traffic.

Wayne: David, first of all, we now know that you are an Internet marketer and you currently focuses on social media marketing. Is that correct?

David: Yep, primarily social media.

Wayne: There are a lot of ways out there that someone can use to market their products and services on the Internet. Why social media?

David: For me I just fell in love with social media because I love interacting and meeting new people. I guess you could say that I am a "people person". I started using social media to my advantage a couple years ago on MySpace and I built a business through that. I realized it was extremely powerful and kept learning and growing with it.

David: There are a few reasons why I love social media. One of the coolest things about social media is that you can find your target market in a split second and connect with them. I don’t like wasting time with drawn out marketing that doesn’t have that. Having the "Find my target market and connect now" benefit is one of the best in social media.

David: The other reason I love social media is the viral factor of it. I can tweet something and it will get re-tweeted several times, that viral spreading continues to get me more exposure and web traffic from these types of sites.

David: I also love it because I can connect with big name marketers, authors and business builders and there aren’t any other ways to get to know some of them.

David: The other thing that I absolutely love about social media is the opportunity to build stronger business relationships. What I do personally is make sure that the people I am marketing to know that I am in social media so that they can personally connect with me.

David: I bring people from my marketing to social media to build a stronger relationship so that they get to know me better and they listen to what I am saying in my marketing messages more often. By getting to know them and their business better, I can also tailor my business to help theirs more effectively. It’s a win-win for them and me!

David: The last thing I love about social media marketing is that when I bring my readers, customers and followers to social media it provides me the opportunity to get to know their network and help even more people out. If I am doing a great job in my business these people will often recommend me and re-tweet and spread the word for me.

Wayne: There are so many benefits that a business or a business owner can get out of social media. With the reasons you laid out above, I can see why you love social media so much. Now, what makes you stand out as an Internet marketer is that you have your own live show. Tell us what the show is all about and how the idea popped up?

David: The show is all about helping people grow their business from the experiences that i have had in business so far. I cover topics from business to marketing to social media and blogging. The idea to have the live show came from realizing that i could broadcast live when USTREAM first came out!

David: I thought to myself this would be a great opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs and deliver a lot of value to help business owners and at the same time build some buzz in social media and gain new exposure for my business. My live show has provided me the opportunity to get lot’s of new exposure and re-tweets and I even got a free product from a big name marketer because his affiliate manager stopped by my show one time.

Wayne: Wow, that’s cool. Is it hard to run a live show? I know your viewership is increasing week by week but what is the hardest part of running a live show?

David: It’s really not hard to run a live show. It’s actually pretty simple. All you do is sign up for an account and then you set the time of your show to broadcast. USTREAM make’s it nice because they allow you to embed the player and chat into your website which i really like because then the show is in my website and it brings me more exposure.

David: Overall the show is getting more buzz and exposure and it is growing. The hardest part about running your own live show is the beginning when you have like 4 viewers and you work hard to impress them so that they re-tweet and get you more exposure. It get’s easier if you make the show consistent and you deliver a lot of value, you will get old viewers returning and you will get new viewers checking you out from your tweets or one of the re-tweets for the show.

Wayne: Say a business owner wanted to start a live show regarding his or her own industry, what will be the most important tip that you will give them?

David: If I had to narrow it down to one it would probably turn into a couple tips! I love to make sure I give the most value that I possibly can!

David: I would say that the first and foremost important thing to do would be to generate traffic and have exposure to your website, or social media profiles before you start the show. If you start the show without any way to "launch" it in a sense then you won’t have any viewers.

David: The second thing that I would strongly suggest is to be active in social media with your market. Twitter and Facebook would be my top to recommendations. This allows you and your show to go viral and gain new exposure every time you broadcast and that is something that you definitely do not want to miss out on!

Wayne: You mentioned Twitter and Facebook. Let’s talk about it for a while. I know that you spend a lot of time on Twitter and Facebook, like 8 hours a day? What do you think is the major difference between Twitter and Facebook?

David: Something like that! a few hours for sure! I would say that the main differences between Facebook and Twitter is the users and the viral factor.

David: The users on Twitter are generally older than on Facebook and MySpace too because twitter is such a simple site that you update in 140 characters and you see updates. The older generations like that and that is bringing them into social media more everyday.

David: On Facebook the crowd is a bit younger but the benefit to Facebook is starting groups, events and fan pages. With these you can grow a fan base and even mail them as well.

David: The main benefit to Facebook is the ability to start groups and fan pages that grow and give you exposure and leverage to market with and the main benefit to twitter is the viral factor where people can re-tweet you and mention you and gain you new exposure to all of there followers. Facebook doesn’t have a "Re-tweet" button! or anything like that!

Wayne: I took the approach of marketing and connecting with existing communities on social media sites but your approach is somewhat different. You actually CREATE communities on Facebook to market yourself and your product. Any tips to share regarding community building on social media sites?

David: It may appear that I just decided to create communities and people followed but it’s not that simple or easy to start although i wish it was. I have spent countless hours connecting with existing communities and networking in several social media sites. After I had networked well and made connections I then started to build my social media influence then when I created my own communities people were much more responsive because I have been interacting with them and delivering value.

David: One of the biggest tips that I would give for those who are looking to start their own community is to go out and interact with the current community. Do this to learn, network and build a network as well! By doing this you will know how to effectively start the best community that will generate the highest response from the web when you launch it and you will also have a platform to launch it to and a network to launch it from if that make’s sense.

Wayne: Another nice tip there. Let’s switch gear and talk about Twitter as well as your product, Twitter Influence. Simple question here, why Twitter for marketing and why Twitter Influence?

David: Twitter for marketing because it is the easiest way to tap into your market, connect and drive traffic.

David: Why Twitter Influence? You can either get the free videos from me or pay the other guys for the same info! the 3 free videos i created (30 minutes on-screen) were made to help you and your business get started so that you can have the highest possible chance at succeeding. The course is for those who want to know everything that i know about twitter and everything that i have learned in 15,000 updates.

Wayne: I got a first hand look at Twitter Influence and I think you have given a lot of value in terms of the quality of content in the package. Do you mind sharing 3 of the most important lessons that can be found in Twitter Influence?

David: Yeah, most definitely! I may warn you before hand though it may turn into 4 or 5 tips!

David: I would say that the first and most important thing is your image in Twitter. There are millions of Twitter users and if your profile is not setup correctly with your background, link, bio and pictures then you are not doing two very important things which are positioning yourself and differentiating yourself.

David: The second thing is finding your target market in twitter. There are many ways to do this and tools to even help you do it. Searching for keywords that your target market would be using. Using different Twitter networking sites to find people to connect with. Finding experts already on Twitter and tapping into the market that they have already attracted are some really great ways to find your target market.

David: The third and last important piece to this puzzle is connecting with your market and getting them to KLT you, which is to know, like and trust you. People can find there target market easily but a lot of people have a hard time connecting with them, delivering value and developing themselves as a brand online. There are many ways to connect with them and I even talk about this in the third free video that I give away.

David: You want to connect with targeted people which is your target market and establish yourself as an expert and establish yourself to be there friend and someone that is there to help them with there business, health, relationships or whatever market you may be in.

David: It is extremely important to connect with people and get them to know like and trust you because like I said before, anyone can find their target market and even build up a large follower base but if they don’t listen to what you are saying and take action like clicking through the links or buying your products and services then that following that you built up will not be valuable at all.

Wayne: There’s some core lessons there on how one should really use Twitter. Last question for you, David. What are some of the books, blogs or resource sites that you recommend marketers and small business owners to read or follow?

David: Can I recommend my own blog?

Wayne: Your blog, Internet Business King and David King will appear right on top of this list.

David: There are a couple blogs that I would recommend to entrepreneurs and web marketers. Actually, here’s a good list of all of them! I would recommend Problogger if you want to learn how to grow your blog and take it to the next level. I would also recommend Site Fling Blog if you are into web marketing and site flipping.

David: And If you are a entrepreneur that loves to meet other young entrepreneurs like Wayne and I, you should check out:

• Brendan Wenzel
• Chris Hughes
• Bradley Will
• Matthew Neer

David: The above are some of my friends that are also smart web marketers and entrepreneurs.

Wayne: Nice list. I follow some of them as well. Any more tips or things that I may have left out in my questions but you would like to add?

David: One last tip because I think that this is extremely important. Stop marketing and start connecting and delivering value and your marketing will market and sell itself.

Wayne: Cool. David, tons of great social media tips that we got from you today. How can people get in touch with you if they want to learn more about you, what you do or just to get more tips on social media marketing?

David: People can always connect with me on Twitter. I am @DavidBeKing. I also can be reached through Google Talk at: InternetBusinessKing and if you are interested in coaching or consulting you can call my office at: 734-331-0617.

Wayne: Noted. That’s all we have time for today as David might be holding off his bed time for this. :p Thanks for doing this interview with me and sharing all the things you know about social media marketing, David.

David: I will get to bed soon after a few more tweets! Thanks so much for the opportunity Wayne! I Love the entrepreneurial community you are developing over here at Wayne Liew Dot Com and online as a whole! I look forward to getting to know you better and helping each other grow our businesses! Take care!

Start Adding Value Through Social Media

On social media, people comes first, not sales or profits and when you have built a large and loyal following, the money will start flowing in even if you try to shut it down. And I am not exaggerating here.

David stressed a lot about value adding when you start participating in social media platforms. Some of you might think that this tip has been rehashed over and over again but think, how many auto DMs that sell BS that you receive everyday? How many marketing emails that you receive today aim to sell rather than to build relationships?

How are you adding value to your community through social media?

Share it with us in the comments section below. Can’t wait to read some interesting case studies.

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