My heart goes out this guy who is a friend in my Facebook community. He writes in his profile info section:

"This is a new profile. My last one had over 3,000 friends that over half of them were spamming me and sticking me in groups I didn't ask to be in."

So he started over.

Can you imagine what a waste of time and frustration that must have been for him? He's a busy professional and was hoping to build a culture of like minds and potential clients. I hope he has a new strategy so he doesn't create the same result.

Friends, this is why I advocate using a target market strategy when building your cultures and communities. Please be MINDFUL who you accept in your communities; this builds the right audience for your message :)

I'm going to make it easy for you to learn how to build your online communities with savvy and class for you, the small business owner, on Thursday, Sept 15th LIVE in my 4-hour training in Beverly Hills.

The deadline for the early rate ends Friday Sept 2 midnight. BUT I am going to sweeten the deal. For the next 24 hours till midnight Sept 1 - I am giving you the power of a personal brand in collaboration with how to use Facebook's tools and apps training for $97! That's $100 off the early rate! It's $197 now and goes up to $297 on Saturday. Grab a seat - I only have a few left in my private training room.

I use High Tech with High Touch.

The whole game of Facebook will change for you once you know how to use the power of personal branding (in a strategic, savvy way). This builds niche communities that convert to new clients, new members, new patients, and revenues.

Clients have to say...

"I'm so very grateful for the clarity that is presenting itself as I've been working with you on my personal brand. What seemed to be a struggle is now becoming easier than I could have imagined. I can hardly wait for our next session. Thank you Marla! Have a beautiful day!"

-- Brenda Morken, Financial Advocate for Women and Children's Fiscal Well Being

I'm delivering the intro training for the small business entrepreneur who wants a quick but comprehensive education in how to build relationships for business using Facebook.

The training, "Personal Branding Makeover to Illuminate Your Social Media Presence for Maximum Visibility & Increased Profits!" will shift how you use Facebook forever.

I'll walk you through an overview of my proven creative, savvy Facebook system and secrets to establishing the know, like & trust factor that convert new contacts to clients.

Remember, the $97 investment goes away Thursday eve at midnight. I would love to be your guide to helping you streamline your time and strategize your efforts to make smart contacts and revenues on Facebook.

Let's collaborate with other small business owners on Sept 15th for your success!

Here's the registration details.

I'll open my phone to questions. Call me if you have questions. 310.378.1277.

In gratitude,

I change up the entire game of Facebook when we begin developing your personal brand

As a driven, savvy entrepreneur, you are on Facebook and Twitter (perhaps mostly Facebook) and you are somewhat comfortable with some of the tools, applications, and pages.

However, you know there are strategies to use on Facebook for business but have no idea what they are - so you plug along at it with no real plan or strategy. You just know the visibility on Facebook, when done correctly, is very powerful for business.

But, you admit to yourself it feels like you are wasting a lot of time and it’s too overwhelming. And furthermore, all those changes constantly happening on Facebook has you frustrated and guessing most of the time, which is not a smart use of your precious time.

I know. I hear this all the time. When my clients come to me for private in-depth training and coaching over several months, I change up the entire game of Facebook when we begin developing their personal brand – and that’s when the lights go on and my clients begin to see the big picture. And then they get excited.

Really excited.

I want you to experience a similar success. I have designed a small private group setting for an entry level investment just for you. I know there are several of you in the local Los Angeles and Orange County areas who really want help and have been hoping for this expertise, but either time or money has stopped you.

I have the answer to your dilemma on Sept 15th live in Los Angeles up close and personal.
Read on.

The Missing Piece in Your Social Media Marketing System That Dramatically Slows Your List Building!

As an eager and driven entrepreneur today, you probably know all your consistent Social Media activities not only help you build quality, valued relationships; deliver a smart, savvy brand while converting your communities to clients; as it strengthens your SEO position. But have you thought about how it affects your website and list building?

Here’s the scenario:

Your intention with your social media marketing is to brand and build visibility. Ideally you drive traffic to your website or blogsite from your Tweets, personal and/or fan page activities, Youtube videos, and group interactions on LinkedIn. Your new friends visit your website to check out your smart content. They are on the site for a few minutes intrigued by your expertise but don’t have much time to finish.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road with effective social media marketing.

Is your site optimized to capture their email so you have the luxury of communicating with them over and over? Or do they leave your site and maybe return later or never?

Does that visitor have the quick option to take advantage of your generous giveaway by entering their email address so they can rush off to their next task knowing you will be sending more great content to enhance their life?

Now I know many of you are very savvy about this. But there are still hundreds I see who have innovative looking sites but they have no compelling invitation for visitors to opt-in to their email list or ezine (electronic personalized magazine or newsletter). Or their opt-in is hidden on the page or the invite is a plain "Join my list."

This is where many fall short and wonder why their online marketing efforts lag behind. A regularly scheduled personalized (1^st person conversational) ezine is critical in building the KNOW LIKE and TRUST factor in collaboration with Social Media marketing; even if you think ezines are passé and no one wants to opt-in to another free giveaway!

Ezines are still one of your best relationship building tools today. Don’t fool yourself.

Savvy online marketers always provide an opt-in at their website to help build their private email list to a permission-based database. These people are interested in you. They want more. Now you have a full marketing system.

Here are the 4 reasons why an ezine is STILL powerful regardless of what you may have heard lately:

1. Your personality is your best asset in today’s marketing. No one can duplicate who you are. As a result, you take yourself out of the competition. When you reach out to your clients in a personal way consistently online (pace it – don’t overwhelm them) and nurture that relationship online (as well as offline) via your custom personality-driven ezine, you hedge the competition and build more loyal clients. In today's overly saturated market, you MUST be consistent with your online marketing to build the know, like & trust factor. (even if you think it's not necessary).

2. Relationships. Your subscribers do read your ezine, that’s why they signed up. They see you as a real person on the other side of the computer screen. You are no longer just a business office blasting out info. You are a human running a biz. You are relatable. This is relationship building every week or month year round. Your email list is your hidden gold, regardless of how much you think it does or does not generate money. People need nurturing and connection; just like you. Your referrals come from the ezine whether you realize it not. It’s revenue generating.

3. When your readers genuinely like you and believe you offer them a value with your articles, tips, and info - they look forward to hearing from you (really!). Always deliver value, connection, and something personal to keep feeding the loyalty. They will pay attention when you have a new product or service to offer. They gave you permission to do so by agreeing to receive your ezine.

4. And, it's all about timing for people when it comes to reaching out to you or calling the office. The more you show up in their email box with fun, innovative, interesting, personal info the better chance you have of a new client, fan, industry contact, joint venture.

There's my soapbox! Please do not neglect the power of your ezine. The voice of your ezine is very important even if you think people don't feel that way. They do.

Would love to have you JOIN my entrepreneurial community ezine! Join in the column to your right.

Much gratitude,

Who cares what I post on Facebook?

While out in the field with hundreds of entrepreneurs, here are some of the perceptions of Facebook many entrepreneurs believe to be true. See if you relate:

Who cares what I post on FB?

I don’t have the time - it’s too much work
I’m a private person; I don’t want people knowing my life.

Below are my answers to these legitimate concerns that define what is possible for you. My respected clients have come to know the truth and reality of the power of Facebook:

Who cares what I post on Facebook?

When you are strategic with whom you allow into your friend community and invite to your fan page, the “right” people will not only care about what you post, they will engage with you and want to build relationships. There are topics that will create engagement.

I don’t have the time - it’s too much work

I agree it is a lot work when you don’t have a simple system and strategy. There is a “method to the madness” of social media where it creates lead generation and quality contacts for personal and professional development. I do not want you on Facebook longer than 10 min a day (M-F) using both your smart-phone and laptop! It’s all about being streamlined. Your time is precious. FB time is revenue producing time. The amount of people interested in you and your expertise is vast and plentiful on Facebook. Be smart. Get on it! You are honestly leaving quality relationships, rich info, and money on the table each day you avoid learning how to use this expansive tool.

I’m a private person; I don’t want people knowing my life.

Many of us are private. However, there are ways to be SAVVY and sophisticated with your content - that turns you into a respected contributor to Facebook and people’s lives. Learn how to reveal just enough to create engagement and interest while delivering a brilliant personal brand that builds your reputation and business revenues. Plus there are privacy settings to ease your mind. :)

Those of you in the Los Angeles area or those who are willing to fly in and invest in you, I will be bold enough to ask you to change your plans on Friday, August 12th from 10-2 and attend "Personal Branding Makeover to Illuminate Your Social Media Presence for Maximum Visibility and Increased Profits" 4-hour quick training to change the way you experience and use Facebook for business.

The training is not just technology. It’s about strategy, how you show up in the world, and how you shift your mindset about the purpose of Facebook to build your business. There is a personal transformation involved. Promise. :) Click here for testimonials

Take advantage of my 20+ years of Hollywood branding expertise combined with my creative social media and online marketing systems to make LIFE easier for you.

Join me for a 4-hour high content introductory course that will walk you through my proven creative, savvy Facebook system and secrets to establishing the know, like & trust factor that convert new contacts to clients.

Personal branding is no longer an option; it's a necessity in business.

Click here for the details and simple registration.

Always in support of your success,

Marla

Raising your standards = all the rewards vs. just good results

Personal branding in business today is not a luxury; it's a necessity if you are to hedge the
competition and stand out among the sea of entrepreneurs who are marketing without a brand.

See, as business owners, we need to be delivering a brand; not marketing a business.

I am encouraging you to raise your standards in how you market so that you are in alignment with the way our NEW economy is requiring us to be and do.

Raising your standards (in anything) can look like this:

Direct from Tony Robbins' philosophy - the following illustration fits well with evaluating your level of standards in your marketing and how one small significant change can take you from good to outstanding in your results.

It all begins and ends with raising your standards in life. Here are the results you can expect from being poor, good, excellent, or outstanding in whatever you do. Starting at poor standards, you have quite a way to go to move up to the good category. Then there is still another big jump from good to excellent. But, the gap between excellent and outstanding is one small, significant step to creating all the rewards.

(Check out the graph by clicking on the image)

Ready to raise your standards? Start by emailing me at Marla@ecreativebiz.com or calling 310.378.1277 with a request for a complimentary private personal branding discovery call.

We will raise your standards and design a plan to create outstanding results. Taking requests for the discovery calls ONLY till Friday July 22.

In support of your success,
Marla

From Plainsville to Hollywood

I'm using my Hollywood Red Carpet days to help you brand YOU. A personal brand can be powerful even outside of Hollywood! So let's take you from Plainsville to Hollywood to illuminate your voice, image and message.

And it all starts from the inside out.

Who are you to your market? Are they clear with your message? Your expertise? How you can be the solution to their challenge? How about how YOU feel about you? What passions light you up? Where do you most feel alive? The answers to these questions (and more) make a potent brand.

Today's social media marketing requires us to be a SAVVY personal brand with compelling content that resonates with your market. And I might add, "content is queen" in the world of social media. Be outstanding in your content, which is part of your brand, and you will have the world at your fingertips.

So where do you start?

Click here for my Top 10 Facebook Strategies That Save Time and Frustration and Turn YOU into a Savvy, Smart Marketer Who Creates Results.

A Secret to Success in Social Media is "Be Resourceful!"

Does this scenario sound familiar?

You are looking for a specific niche or industry to connect to. You search for that name in the search box on Facebook. Let's say your target market is women interior designers who cater to upscale-high end homeowners who are seeking custom made closets and cabinetry.

You enter the name "Interior Designers" and maybe add a specific location or specialty. What comes up much like Google is fan & group pages and people that match that name. You find several Interior Designers and go "like" their page. You might even post a few hellos or comments on the fan page to start the connection.

Then what? Your goal is to make a personal connection in a private message to open the discussion.

But how do you find the owner of the page in order to start that communication? It isn't always easy. The secret to success is being "resourceful."

Not sure where to start? No problem, I explain what to do on the Social Media Savvy Culture Club forum. And the best part? Forum access is free to all members!

Not yet a member? Join my year-round group coaching program for less than $2.00 a day where you can find like minds, learn how to build a SAVVY personal brand and monetize your business on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and LI.

Register here.