Let’s Get Ready with Cedar Valley Publishing

Our 9/16 guest is Lorie Marrerro of the Clutter Diet, an organizing guru! 

Learn how getting organized is like losing weight.  Get tips for battling those trouble spots in your home and office and what you can do with only 10 minutes a day toward getting rid of all the clutter!!

10 am CST / 11 am EST on Wednesday, September 16th - Click Here

1. Take “Google Alerts” out for your name and company and also on “keywords” that target your marketing niche.  I have Google Alerts on “kindergarten” and “Let’s Get Ready for School”.  Everyday Google sends me a list of free leads that tag all the stories and blogs that include my key word(s).  Those leads are for journalists and bloggers who tell you amazing details - like a school just received 1 million dollars for their early education program. 
2. Post genuine comments on those blogs contributing to the conversation, not “buy me, buy me, buy me” but  “I see you are worried about your son going to Kindergarten; I would love to send him a set of my books to enjoy!”  It works and that’s how I developed relationships with those 700+ mom blog reviews–they are priceless!  Yes, giving away products will come back to you!!! I want those bloggers to have my books to see and touch and share with someone else, because EVERYONE knows a TEACHER!  Those blogs are amazing, many with pictures of their kids with my books and actually quotes from the kids playing with them!  They will live forever on-line and increase, as I like to call it, your “Google Footprint” or the number of records on the search engines.  This is free and natural SEO.
3. Elevate your platform by networking with movers and shakers in your industry.  If you want to be an author, start reviewing your favorite author’s books on Amazon. Put yourself in a position to network with and meet other authors! I reviewed Jim Stovall’s Ultimate Gift on Amazon and a few years later he emailed me asking if I would like an advanced copy of Keeper of the Flame.  A few weeks ago he sent me a nice note with The King’s Legacy.  PRICELESS connection that elevates my platform too! 
4. Belong to all the free sites for media leads:  HelpaReporterOut ; PitchRate; and Reporter’s Source to name a few.  I have been interviewed on hundreds of radio shows, over 30 parenting magazines, over 30 television segments and 15 newspapers!  Can you say free publicity and free credibility?
5. Develop a platform to be bigger than you - for me it’s about educating preschoolers at the core to empower parents, kids and teachers to all be involved.  If you teach a child to wear their seatbelt they will re-teach and train everyone to wear it too.  If you teach a child what they need to know for preschool, they will empower their parents to be involved in the process every step of the way!  “Mom, let’s practice shapes and colors because I need to know them for Kindergarten!”  I am creating a brand that will live long after me!!  When parents, kids and teachers think Kindergarten they are starting to think of my books!  So my goal is to be the “Good Night Moon” of Kindergarten!
6. Become the expert and pitch your local media to develop long-term relationships and start your media platform.  The local media can help you grow to the national media.  Many of my favorite local media stars are now some of my biggest fans!!  I would never have gotten this far without all their support!  I am honored to be a regular on Milwaukee’s TMJ4 and was a keynote along with TMJ4’s anchor Susan Kim, who was the Emcee.
7. Create social networking profiles on all the sites that match your target market as well as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  I am on over 40+ sites.  Even the sites that I am not active in get traffic.  I have one that has over 24,000 page views, another over 5,000, 6,000, 150 — now times that by 40 and that’s free exposure for YOU!  The more people that know your name, the bigger you will be!  The best compliment I get is - I see you “everywhere”!

Here is a list of my favorite FREE resources:

For running your business:

• www.themomentrepreneur.com
• www.mogulmom.com
• www.rolemommy.com
• http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/home/index.php
• www.startupnation.com
• www.perfectbusiness.com

For daily marketing tips:

• www.chrisbrogan.com
• www.problogger.com
• www.copyblogger.com
• www.sethgodin.com

For social media:

• www.paulgillin.com

For free media:

• www.paulgillin.com
• www.reportersource.com
• www.pitchrate.com
• www.publicityhound.com

For a killer media list from Rick at Author 101 University:

• An unlikely, but helpful source for local media is the official website for the American Academy of Family Physicians at http://capitol.aafp.org/aafp/dbq/media/.
• Select a state on the map and you will be provided with a list of print and broadcast media.

For networking - geared for mom entrepreneurs:

• The Mom Entrepreneur
• Woman Business Owners
• Woman Owned Businesses
• Savor the Success
• Twitter Moms
• eWomen Network
• National Association of Women Business Owners
• Work It
• Working Mother
• Work At Home Moms
• Home Based Working Moms
• Moms in Business
• Start Up Princess
• Make Mine a Million
• The Joy of Connecting
• Mom Inventors
• Moms Town
• Hybrid Moms
• Moms-for-Profit
• BlogHer

For social networking and marketing:

• www.facebook.com
• www.twitter.com
• www.linkedin.com
• Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association

My biggest tip: Take advantage of all the free resources on-line!

Stacey Kannenberg
“Ready To Learn Mom”