Only minutes after Google released its answer to Twitter and Facebook, Google Buzz, there has been lots of talk about how Buzz will change social media marketing strategies. Has it? So far, even social media marketers and interactive marketing professionals including Mashable and Forrester’s Augie Ray has published their take on Google’s potential Twitter or Facebook rival.

While it’s too early to predict how Google Buzz will fare in the social media sphere, it’s easy to tell the difference between Buzz and its competing social sites. Whether you like it or not, Google is abuzz with something fresh and new when it released Buzz. How will this affect your social media marketing strategies? Here’s how.

Aggregate email and status feed into one.

Not everyone who send emails use Twitter or Facebook. Some Gmail users don’t easily buy into social media sites. Admit it, they’re the types who would rather send and receive thousands of emails everyday than post updates or send tweets. By integrating Gmail and Buzz, Google makes it easier for you to reach those who had reservations about using other social networking sites.

Google Buzz “filters” relevant updates.

I don’t know about you but half of the tweets and Facebook updates I receive are irrelevant. You can’t get rid of the noise and it’s hard to filter messages unless you “unfriend” someone, which is highly unlikely So here comes Buzz with its relevance filtering feature. It’s a quite smarter way of decluttering your space without the need of “unfriending” your friend.

A potential ad strategy.

Yes, Google is still Google. On Google Buzz’s main page, there’s a feature that reads: “Just the good stuff: Buzz recommends interesting posts and weeds out ones you’re likely to skip.” Let’s not speculate too much about Buzz but to recommend what’s interesting may mean another potential ad strategy for Google. Whiles this feature seems to be a part of decluttering your space, users will likely receive data Google wants them to read.

Zelle is a full-time, location independent freelance writer with a degree in Journalism. She also writes for a local medical magazine and seeks to complete a Master Certificate in Internet Marketing from the University of San Francisco. She recently founded a blog on article marketing.

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People love all the glamor and positive things that are associated with being self employed, however, most people never think of the negative side of being your own boss. When they first experience the lack of revenue, no one to help if you get sick and the long hard hours you need to put in for your business to work. They get discouraged because they heard all this information from someone who is a “drop out” and how they only work a few hours a day and are making tens of thousands of dollars every week or month. They don’t seem to realize that what they read on the internet was a sales pitch to get you to send them money (which is how they make money) and really is not realistic nor can it be duplicated, which is one of the keys to a good home based business.

Brian Tracy (one of the nation’s leading sales trainers) put it very simply. You are either in sales or providing a service, and it does not matter which one you are in. It is going to take sixty to ninety days of you going full throttle to make it work. Imagine an airplane sitting on a runway, for that plane to take off the pilot has to go full throttle until they are airborne. Once you have reached your cruising speed and altitude, then you must pull back to about half speed or you will burn up the engines. Starting a business is the same, after the first two or three months of hard work and the “sowing and reaping” factor has started. Then you must cut back a bit or you will burn out and now is where you reap what you have sowed, but you must sow first.

This is one of the areas that will discourage most people. They do not mind the hard work but to have to wait two to three months or longer for their business show consistent income. they feel something has to be wrong. This stems from our attraction to television shows where any problem is solved within one maybe two hours. A lot of people never learn what patience is or that life is not solved in a couple of days, weeks, months or maybe even years.

Another issue that has dampen people’s excitement is all of the scams out there that read so well but in reality are not good business opportunities. You have to do a lot of research and find out as much as you can about the offer or the company. Here are some questions to ask yourself. Do they have a good support team, am I always paying for something extra that I supposedly need, or are there good faith fees, how long have they been in business and does the offer seem to be too good to be true? Finding the answers to these questions will help you decide if it is a legitimate business or not. Most quality business to not do up sells nor ask for good faith fees, and they have a good support staff.

Once you have decided on a company or business, what kind of training do they offer and can I get answers from someone or am I left on my own. You must ask yourself do I have the expertise or knowledge to run this type of business? Am I able to be a self starter, can I prioritize and do I have enough income to sustain me until the business starts to pay and more importantly will I enjoy doing this type of work.

If you are getting tired and discouraged by endless traps that seem to keep you from getting started, I understand how you feel. I have spent a lot time and money doing research, but have learned a lot about the different work at home offers. Just in case your are interested, on my website, I have listed a few of the better sites that will actually get you started in the right direction and the information is free.

William Nottoli
Affiliate Martketer
http://www.billsaffiliatestop.com/Work_From_Home.html

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“Love is in the air!” In February, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, the day on which we commemorate romance. People get to express their emotions and show how they feel about one another by doing something special for their loved ones. It’s interesting that we have to pick just one day out of the year to express our affection to those that we really care about. This demonstration of affection should be ongoing-every day, all the time, with all those special little things that touch the true essence of us: our feelings.

Throughout my entrepreneurial life, I have always strived to create an emotional business experience with my clients. I’m very thankful for those that decide to do business with me. As a token of my appreciation, I try to demonstrate to my clients that they are important to me by providing a caring and very professional experience, and I am always looking for ways to enrich that relationship. Entrepreneurs and small businesses have a huge advantage over big corporations. We can really add that human touch to our offering. We can easily create that “connection” that causes our clients to buy from us and stay with us for a long time.

People buy from people. And people like doing business with people who care about them. In business as in love we are always looking for ways to improve our relationships. Here are some basic principles that we can implement in our offering to get clients for life.

8 Principles To Apply For A Great Business Relationship

1. Focus on your promise of value. Clearly state your unique selling proposition. We all have a set of unique values that we abide by. When you search for clients for life, look for those that will appreciate what you have to offer them. Look for the “chemistry.”

2. Listen and communicate. When was the last time you asked your clients about their concerns, the issues they are facing in their business, why they buy from you, how satisfied they are with your services? Pay more attention to what is going on with your clients’ businesses and how their issues relate to you. Take immediate action to fix any areas of concern that may jeopardize the relationships.

3. Forgive and be empathetic. As the business relationship grows, you get to know each other and trust is built. When you have a client that has been attentive to your needs, has a history of using your services, acknowledging your hard work and paying you on time, be sure to be there for that client in times of hardship. Nobody is exempt from making mistakes. However, if an uncomfortable situation becomes permanent, you should have an open conversation with your client to learn how you can work it out. Focus on the solution. Give it some time. If it does not improve, you may want to walk away.

4. Nourish the relationship. Always look for ways to bring more benefit to your clients. You may need to learn a new skill or add a new piece of technology. Try to find value-added features that will enhance the relationship. Routines kill relationships. If your client sees that you are always looking to add value, the relationship will be strengthened, and it will be more difficult for your clients to “look for love” somewhere else.

5. Be appreciative. Never take your clients for granted. Show gratitude for their loyalty and continuing business.

6. Be committed. Tell your clients you are committed to the success of their businesses. You are committed to your clients’ success by always delivering on your promise of value. Also, be easily available to your clients. Never over promise and under deliver. Always avoid creating any disappointments for your clients. Your goal should always be to exceed your clients’ expectations.

7. Be respectful and don’t cross any boundaries. Just because you are one of your client’s favorite vendors doesn’t mean you can take advantage of the relationship. Always be professional and respectful of your client’s time, needs and requirements. You can have disagreements but never allow your emotions to take over the situation. A relationship is a two-way street. So you should also set limits if your client tries to cross those boundaries with you.

8. Avoid ultimatums. Always try to work together to address any issues. Avoid threats, ultimatums and any other coercive behavior. Instead, concentrate on building a solid foundation. If you are not happy with your client’s behavior, fire your client in a very polite way. Explain the reasons for the termination tactfully without any accusatory or snide language.

“It takes two to tango.” By applying these principles to your business and focusing more on the quality of your relationships than on the quantity, you will enjoy long-lasting and rewarding partnerships with your clients. They will appreciate your human touch and think of you first the next time they are in need of service.

Marcela Jenney is a cross-cultural professional business and marketing coach and consultant with over 20 years of experience. Her reputation for producing the highest quality work and implementing cutting edge strategies and methodologies led her to open her firm Latitudes Training, Coaching and Consulting, a company that helps solo entrepreneurs, small business owners, consultants, executives and professionals from diverse backgrounds to create and implement their unique compelling selling proposition. For more free articles, visithttp://www.latitudescoach.com

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