I have revamped my email strategy this weekend because it was getting a bit overwhelming and my previous strategies have been failing miserably. When 50 to 100 valid emails come in every day how do you handle that? My previous technique was to read it once or twice a day, reply to what I could then mark anything I had to spend some time on I would mark them as Unread and flag them.

As I type this out I realize once again how ridiculous this ‘system’ was.

So… the new goal is to keep the inbox completely empty. I am taking some of the techniques from Getting Things Done (GTD) to create Ryan’s own Getting Things Done email technique. To start you must make 5 directories...

How do you measure the success of a website? Success is measured the same regardless of whether you are measuring your website, your business, the success of an event or a grade on a test. You have to have an actual goal in order to measure it. If you have no goals, you cannot define success.
What are some goals you may strive for with your website...

There are 5 easy things you can do to make sure your business embraces the Internet as a sales and marketing tool in 2007:

1. Purchase your own .com Domain Name for your company
2. Use your .com Domain Name for all email communication
3. Create a professional website and make it part of your sales team
4. Internet marketing with Google, Yahoo and MSN
5. Start an e-newsletter to communicate with customers

You may not realize it, but if you’re still using an email address from Yahoo, Hotmail, SBC, Comcast, or some other free email service to communicate with customers, you’re losing some “professionalism points.”  If your website is not portraying your company effectively and generating business for you, then it’s time to take action!  Following these five steps is a good start to making your website function as an extension of your sales team.

Purchase a ‘.com’ Domain Name for your company

You have to buy “yourcompanyname.com” as soon as possible, or someone else will.  Buying an internet Domain Name (.com, .net, .org) is extremely affordable and is the first step in getting your own email

Every salesperson should develop a marketing strategy specific to how they do business.  It should be a plan that you personally create or possibly design alongside a professional to outline how you can satisfy your customers and achieve your goals.  I define marketing as “identifying the needs and wants of a target customer and then appealing to and satisfying those needs.” Creating a complete marketing plan may consist of such items as: research on customers, defining their needs, product design, pricing and promotion. Here are a few ideas that might not be part of a corporate marketing plan but can immediately become part of your personal marketing plan. 

Review your Business Card – It should be informative and be memorable     

Your business card is important.  When you meet a prospective buyer this is what they will have in their hand after you have introduced yourself and parted from one another.