Debbie LaChusa

When I returned from vacation a few days ago, one of the first things I did was stop by my mailbox to pick up my mail. As usual, it was full of the typical bank statements and credit card offers, but it also had one of those hot pink "You have a package" slips in it. That meant I had a delivery that was too big to fit in my mailbox. Time to get excited! What could it be? I wasn't expecting any shipments. Well, when they handed me the large cardboard envelope I got really excited. It had a neon yellow sticker on the outside that read "APEX AWARD NOTIFICATION."

When I opened it up, I discovered my 10stepmarketing step-by-step small business marketing guidebook had received a 2006 APEX Award of Excellence in the How-to writing category. Woo-hoo! So what's the first thing I did after a mini celebratory dance? Well, as a marketer, I started thinking of ways to merchandise the award. When I got home I sat down at my computer and wrote a press release, posted it on PRWeb and sent it out to the local business publications. If you'd like to learn more about the award or read the release, you can do so here: 10stepmarketing Receives 2006 APEX Award

I'd also like to challenge you to research what awards are given out in your industry and think about entering them. Awards are just one way of adding credibility to your business because they are an objective, third party's assessment ... that's someone else's stamp of approval on you and your business. And that can be very valuable marketing.

On Monday, September 18th, I was interviewed by Wayne Kelly of The Wayne and Jayne Show, a morning radio show in BC, Canada, and we talked about the biggest mistakes small business marketers make. It was great because being on the radio provided free marketing exposure (my favorite kind!) for 10stepmarketing. How did I manage to get myself on the air?

Well, I met Wayne back in March at Mark Victor Hansen's Mega Marketing Magic conference. We've kept in touch since then and I recently invited Wayne to be interviewed for my weekly Marketing Success Podcast. (You can hear his interview next month right here on 10stepmarketing Connection).

You see, in addition to being a radio DJ, Wayne also has his own business, On-Air Publicity - 30 Days to Radio Interview Success!, teaching small business owners how to get on the radio. Wayne and I had such a great connection when I interviewed him, that he invited me to be a guest on his radio show!

You just never know what can happen when you meet someone and take the time to build a relationship.

Click Here to Download MP3/Audio

(length 5:02 minutes)

Recently I was invited to be interviewed by Dale King of GuruKnowledge.org on the subject of Internet Marketing. This was quite an honor considering the fact I am relatively new to the Internet Marketing game.

While I put up my first website 6-7 years ago, and started publishing a monthly "marketing tips and trends" ezine about the same time, I didn't dive fully into Internet Marketing until 1-1/2 to 2 years ago. I will say that after two years of complete immersion, I have learned a lot.

If you'd like to check out my interview on GuruKnowledge.org, you can find it here.

I just scheduled a Free Preview Call for my Winter Extreme Marketing Makeover Program. It will be held on Tuesday, January 30th at 5pm. You can register for the free call here.

Join me to hear about everything we cover in this program and to get all your questions answered. And you'll still have time to save $100 with Early Bird Registration - full price goes into effect on Wednesday, January 31st!

Do you live near Fort Lauderdale, Florida? I'm looking for people to test drive my 10stepmarketing System 12-CD set and provide testimonials for my Infomercial, which will be filmed near Fort Lauderdale this spring.

We'll provide the complete 10stepmarketing System to you at no charge in exchange for you agreeing to work through the system and report back on how you like it. Who knows, you could end up on TV!

If you are interested, please contact me immediately by email at debbie@10stepmarketing.com

Or, if you know a solo-professional or small business owner in the Fort Lauderdale area that you think would like to participate, please have them contact me. THANKS!

As I posted a few weeks ago, I am test-driving Elance.com with my first project: a complete website redesign. I am happy to report that so far I am very pleased with the entire process of using Elance.com and with the service I have received from the provider I selected.

We did have a minor miscommunication - which I guess is somewhat expected given we've only communicated via email and Elance's Private Message Board. However, the provider has promised to deliver everything at the agreed upon price.

They definitely understand the power of building a relationship and customer lifetime value. If this project wraps up as well as it has gone so far, I've got several other web projects already lined up for them.

I can't wait to get my new website. My old site, which I designed myself (and my website design capabilities are quite limited!) is ready for a makeover. Hopefully I'll be able to unveil the new site in February. I'll keep you posted!

I am excited to announce that I just added 2 New Bonuses to my Winter Extreme Marketing Makeover Program!

BONUS #1) A Bonus Tele-coaching Session with Special Guest Wayne Kelly, The Radio Guy!

Wayne is a Media coach and a Top 40 Radio DJ with a very successful radio show. And he's just agreed to join us for a bonus session on March 23rd. Learn how YOU can get on the radio to promote your business, from the guy who knows how it's done. It will be an hour you won't forget! And, a great way to cap off the Winter Extreme Marketing Makeover Program! You can learn more about Wayne on his web site at On Air Publicity.

BONUS #2) My brand new 2007 Edition of The 10stepmarketing System Step-by-Step Guidebook.

With 40 additional pages of great step-by-step marketing advice. All new sections on Advertising and Online Marketing, plus updates to the entire workbook. I'm just wrapping up my final edits and you will receive a copy of this all new Ebook when it is published this month.

It all starts on February 16th. You get to makeover your entire marketing program, and get these two extra bonuses, all for one low price!

You can learn all about the Winter Extreme Marketing Makeover Program and register today at www.ExtremeMarketingMakeover.com

I am happy to announce that I have just released an updated version of my small business marketing tool, The 10stepmarketing System, with 30% more content than the previous edition including new sections on advertising and Internet marketing. This small business marketing tool provides a 10-step, question-and-answer process to help solo-professionals and small business owners create a marketing plan and is available at http://www.10stepmarketingSystem.com

To celebrate the release, I am offering a bonus 10-week small business marketing teleclass series to support small business owners as they create their marketing plan. This bonus is included with all purchases made by February 23, 2006. The teleclass series is slated to begin February 26, 2007. The cost for the entire package is $99.

The 10stepmarketing System includes a step-by-step guidebook titled, “How to Successfully Market Your Business in 10 Simple Steps,” which is designed to walk solo-professionals and small business owners through the process of creating and implementing a marketing plan as if they were working with a virtual marketing coach. This guidebook was awarded a 2006 APEX Award in the "How-to" category.

I have completely updated the entire guidebook and have added 40 additional pages on how to evaluate and purchase advertising, how to create effective advertisements and basic “how-to” steps for Internet marketing techniques such as blogging, podcasting, and pay-per-click advertising. It also comes with lifetime membership to the 10stepmarketing Resource Center so small business owners have access to cost-effective products and services to help them implement their marketing plans.

To purchase the updated 10stepmarketing System and participate in the bonus, 10-week teleclass series and get a 3-Ring Binder Workbook at no extra charge, please visit http://www.10stepmarketingSystem.com before February 23, 2007.

I leave for Florida tomorrow to film my 10stepmarketing infomercial. It will be a whirlwind trip sandwiched in between my "10 Steps to Success" teleclass on Monday and my Winter Extreme Marketing Makeover tele-coaching call on Friday!

I have to say the process of producing an infomercial has been educational for me. And, it's certainly been a lesson in direct marketing from the pro's.

It was a lot of fun to read the script and find out how they recommend engaging people to buy my 10stepmarketing System. I'll be anxious to see the finished product as it's the first time I've been "on camera!" And, I am excited about the opportunity the infomercial will provide to reach and help many more small business owners and prospective small business owners.

I have to say, an infomercial was not something I planned as part of my marketing plan. But it was because I had a marketing plan that I easily knew what decision to make when the opportunity came my way last year. I recognized it as an excellent opportunity to reach my marketing goals in a way I had not previously considered. And, I jumped on it. That's one thing I love about having a marketing plan. It makes these decisions SO EASY!

Unexpected opportunities come our way all the time when we set an intention to be successful and grow our business. I'd love to hear about unexpected opportunities that have come your way. Please post a comment and share.

Following up on my ezine article and podcast titled "How Much Time Should You Spend on Your Marketing?" here is an example of how I spend my time on a typical day.

8:00am Read the news, read and respond to emails
9:00am Make and return phone calls to clients, vendors, partners
10:00am Complimentary coaching session with prospective client
10:30am Coordinate details with infomercial producer
11:00am Client coaching session
12:00pm Read and respond to email
12:30pm Coordinate ad changes for consulting client
1:00pm Work on marketing plan for consulting client
2:30pm Write weekly ezine article and blog posts; record weekly podcast
4:00pm Go to one of my kid's sports events or hit the gym for a workout
5:30pm Check email
6:00pm Update website copy
7:30pm Dinner & relax with family
10:00pm Check email and look at tomorrow's calendar
10:30pm Read a self-improvement, business or wealth building book
11:00pm Go to sleep

I'd love to see how you spend your day as a solo-professional. Why don't you post a comment and share?

If you get stuck when it comes to putting your marketing plan into action, pay attention to this...
 
In June, I will be introducing a brand new program. It's called the "Step of the Month Club" and it will put ME on your marketing team. That means you'll get MY step-by-step help every single month with a different aspect of your marketing.

We'll tackle everything from Websites to Auto-responders, Email Marketing to Uncovering your Unique Selling Proposition, Determining Your Key Marketing Message to Pay-Per-Click advertising and PR. A new topic every month!

You'll even have the chance to vote on what topics will be covered!

This program is all about TAKING ACTION!

Click here now to join the Interest List to be notified when this program launches and to get a Special Discount on membership.

After months of planning and preparation, my brand new "Step of the Month Club" is set to launch after the July 4th holiday.

If you get stuck when it comes to putting your marketing plan into action, THIS program is for you!
 
With my "Step of the Month Club" you will put ME on your marketing team. That means you'll get MY step-by-step help every single month with a different aspect of your marketing.

We'll tackle everything from Websites to Auto-responders, Email Marketing to Uncovering your Unique Selling Proposition, Determining Your Key Marketing Message to Pay-Per-Click advertising and PR. A new topic every month!

You'll even have the chance to vote on what topics will be covered!

This program is all about TAKING ACTION!

Taking action is what is going to make your business successful. So, every month you'll learn how to implement a different marketing activity in my signature step-by-step style, with live "how-to" teleseminars, downloadable recordings, how-to videos, 10-step Checklists, Q&A sessions, and more!

Join the Interest List NOW and get a Special Bonus Gift! But you've got to hurry. This special offer ends when the July 4th holiday is over!

10stepmarketing Introduces Marketing Membership Club to Provide Small Business Owners with Monthly Marketing How-to Teleseminars, Videos and Support

I am happy to announce the launch of a brand new small business marketing support program called the Step of the Month Club. This monthly membership club is designed to provide entrepreneurs and small business owners with step-by-step, how-to small business marketing instruction on a new marketing topic every month.

Topics covered will include online and offline marketing activities such as “how to create a client attraction website,” “how to publish an ezine” and “determining a marketing message that sells,” among others. Members will have the opportunity to vote on the small business marketing topics to be covered each month.

For a monthly membership fee of $24.95 club members have access to monthly small business marketing how-to teleseminars, question-and-answer teleconference calls, small business marketing how-to videos and a private members-only website with a discussion area and additional support materials and information.

All new members receive one free month of membership to celebrate the introduction of the club. Registrations are now being accepted online at www.StepOfTheMonth.com

I introduced my VIP Mentor Program to my 10stepmarketing and 6FigureWorkAtHomeMom clients in June and was very happy to receive over 20 applications for this exclusive program. In this program, I will be working over the next year, one-on-one with a handful of solo-professionals and small business owners who are serious about taking their business to the next level.

We will be working hard to get their businesses set up for success and to help them start attracting more clients and generating more sales. My goal for these folks is that at the end of the year, they will have a viable business up and running, and they will know what they need to do to continue to grow it to whatever size they desire.

The maximum number of people I will accept into this exclusive program is 10, and 6 people have already been accepted and have secured their spots. There are a few others who are still deciding if they want to embark on this year-long journey.

If you are ready to take your business to the next level over the next year, and you'd like a marketing partner to help guide you, work with you, and hold you accountable, I encourage you to apply for one of the remaining spots in my VIP Mentor Program.

Once the program is full, I will not be accepting any new members for at least 6 months.

You can learn more about my VIP Mentor Program here.

You can submit your VIP Mentor Program application here.

To celebrate the launch of my brand new Step of the Month Club, I am offering a free month of membership to anyone purchasing my The 10stepmarketing System

Small business owners and solo-professionals who purchase The 10stepmarketing System digital guidebook or 3-Ring Binder System will receive one month of free membership in the monthly marketing how-to club, with an option to cancel after their free month or continue with their membership at only $24.95 per month.

Members of the Step of the Month Club have access to monthly how-to small business marketing teleseminars, question and answer teleconference calls, how-to videos, a private members-only website and more.

To get your free month of membership by purchasing The 10stepmarketing System, please visit www.10stepmarketingSystem.com

I have been involved in the marketing industry for over 21 years. And, up until three years ago, I worked primarily in offline marketing, creating and implementing marketing plans that consisted primarily of print advertising and broadcast advertising for my clients.

Three years ago when the idea for 10stepmarketing was born, I jumped head-first into the world of Internet marketing. And, I have spent the past three years as a "sponge" soaking up everything I could learn about online marketing and applying and testing what I learn in my own online businesses.

This week, I am about to embark on yet another new form of marketing - Direct Response TV. For the past year I have been working with an infomercial production company to develop a long form infomercial (28:30 in length) to promote and sell my 10stepmarketing System nationwide. We'll be selling the newly updated CD version of this product.

After a full year of hard work and lots of patience, that infomercial begins testing in markets across the U.S. today. The test will run for two weeks and based on the results generated we will make a decision whether or not to roll-it out in full force.

I've learned a lot about the infomercial business over the past year. And, I've gotten over some of my initial reservations about using this sometimes controversial marketing avenue. I have realized that while this is not an avenue that I included in my original marketing plan, this is a wonderful opportunity reach and help many more people, much more quickly, than I could otherwise.

I've learned that there is a definite science to direct response television marketing. And, I am very glad I have a team of seasoned direct marketing professionals working on this project with me. This team involves direct response script writers, seasoned infomercial television producers, a call center staff, project managers, and of course my fulfillment company. This is definitely a project I could not do without this entire team!

For now, we are all crossing our fingers and hoping to achieve a MER (media efficiency ratio) of at least 1.8 so that we can proceed with a national roll-out. Our goal at roll-out is a 2.0 MER.

If we don't achieve a 1.8 (that means the infomercial generates at least $1.80 for each $1.00 spent on media airtime) we will either go back and make some adjustments to the show, or we'll abandon the project. As I said, there is a definite science behind direct response TV advertising.

Needless to say I am dreaming of 1.8's or higher!

I just completed writing and publishing a brand new Ebook titled, Top 10 Marketing Mistakes Solo-Professionals And Small Business Owners Make and How To Avoid Them So Your Business Will Grow and Prosper! This 29-page Ebook is available for free on the 10stepmarketing website.

After training solo-professionals and small business owners in small business marketing techniques for the past five years, I noticed I was seeing the same mistakes being made over and over again. So I felt it was time to get this information out to small business owners and solo-professionals in the hopes it will help them avoid making these business-stifling mistakes.

To get your copy of this free Ebook simply subscribe to the free 10stepmarketing Ezine on the 10stepmarketing website.

I am very proud to announce that my flagship product, The 10stepmarketing System "How to Successfully Market Your Business in 10 Simple Steps," has been awarded the 2007 APEX Award for Publication Excellence in the How-to Writing category. This is the second year in a row my small business marketing how-to guidebook has been honored with an Apex Award. Nearly 5,000 APEX entries were received with 1,521 Awards of Excellence handed out. A PDF with a detailed list of all award winners is available here.

This award was presented to my completely updated 2007 Step-by-Step Guidebook. The updated version includes over 40 new pages, including two new sections on advertising and Internet marketing. The 188-page updated how-to guidebook is comprised of 10 steps that teach small business owners and solo-professionals how to market effectively while also helping them create and implement a marketing plan.

The how-to guidebook is part of The 10stepmarketing System which sells online for $97.

APEX 2007 awards were based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the success of the entry in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence. The APEX Awards are sponsored by the editors of Writing That Works: The Business Communications Report, published by Communication Concepts, Inc. of Springfield, Virginia. 2007 marks the 19th year the awards competition has been held.

For nearly three years, I have been building 10stepmarketing on the side, while I operate my marketing consulting business, DLC Marketing, Inc. Running both businesses has been a lot of work, but because I was new to Internet marketing and information marketing, it has been necessary for me to continue to operate my marketing consulting business while I learn and build my Internet marketing-based business.

I have learned a ton about Internet marketing over the past three years and have launched two additional Internet-based ventures during that time: TwinConnections.com and 6FigureWorkAtHomeMom.com.

Things have been going well, and with all the projects I have in the works for my Internet-based businesses, there seems to be less and less time for consulting. So I made the decision this month to finally transition away from my consulting business and focus 100% of my time on my Internet-based businesses.

This month alone I launched two new 10stepmarketing programs, my Step of the Month Club and my VIP Mentor Program. Thanks to these two new programs I had my biggest month ever in July!

I introduced 6FigureWorkAtHomeMom in May and received an overwhelming response to my first teleclass series where I was able to teach nearly 30 women how to build work-from-home businesses that can earn them 6 figures.

My 10stepmarketing Infomercial launched this month, and I am working on two books, one for Twin Connections and one for 6FigureWorkAtHomeMom.

Moving away from my marketing consulting has definitely required a leap of faith. It's something that I have been doing for nine years and it has allowed me to earn a very comfortable living. But I feel the time has come to follow my true passion of teaching and coaching, and it is amazing to see how the Universe has opened up in the past month, now that I have taken this leap of faith.

To have my biggest sales month ever in over two years of Internet marketing is amazing! If that isn't a sign I'm moving in the right direction, I don't know what is!

Have you taken a leap of faith to start a new business? If so, I'd love to hear about it. Please post a comment and share.

Is your website suffering from "Field of Dreams" syndrome? You built it but no one is coming!

If so, you I'd like to invite you to join me next Wednesday night, October 10th, for a special teleseminar: "How to Use Article Marketing to Generate Tons of Traffic to Your Website ... For Free!"

Click here to find out how you can join this teleseminar for free!

I will be sharing how I tripled my website traffic in a matter of months, using the concept of Article Marketing, at zero cost! Learn what topics you should be writing articles on to generate the most traffic, the ideal length your articles should be, the best places to post your articles for maximum pick-up, and how you can re-purpose your existing content to save time.

This call is free for all Step of the Month Club members (along with a whole host of other great benefits!). Not yet a member? When you sign up for your free, 30-day trial membership you can join me for this informative, how-to call, and it won't cost you a dime! Click here for all the details and to sign up for your free, 30-day trial membership.

Sunday, November 11th is my birthday and I'm celebrating my 46th birthday. So I thought I'd do something a little crazy.

I've decided to offer my complete 10stepmarketing System for only $46!

That's one dollar for each year I'm celebrating!

It's a savings of more than $50 and more than 50%! And absolutely the lowest price I will EVER offer my complete 10stepmarketing System for.

I told you it was CRAZY! :-)

This offer is only valid through Sunday, November 11, 2007. After that, it goes away, just like my birthday cake and party balloons!

You can get all the details about my award-winning 10stepmarketing System and get your special birthday blowout price on the Digital Ebook version here.

After all, now is the perfect time to start working on your marketing plan for 2008.

And thanks for helping me celebrate my birthday!

If you've struggled with writing your own marketing plan, I would like to introduce you to a brand new tool designed to help you easily write your own marketing plan, in just one hour. I know you're busy. We all are. So I don't want to make you read through a big, fat book, or feel like you have to write a marketing plan, the size of the Bible!

It simply is NOT necessary. I have streamlined the entire process to make it simple and best of all, you can complete your marketing plan within one hour.

How is this possible?

I've put together a package of materials to help you quickly understand exactly what you need to do, and templates to make it easy, so when you sit down to create your marketing plan , you will be able to complete it within one hour. In fact, I even give you a sample marketing plan so you know exactly what your marketing plan should look like. And, I call it the 1-Hour Marketing Plan.

And now's a great time to start thinking about your marketing plan for 2008, so you'll be ready to kick of the year with a winning marketing strategy.

You can find out more about the 1-Hour Marketing Plan here.

Of all the questions I receive from solo professionals and small business owners every week, by far the most common is "How can I market my business for less?"

In response to all of these questions, I'm offering a Shoestring Marketing Q&A Teleclass on Thursday, June 26th.

On that call I will be answering your questions about how to effectively market your business on a shoestring budget.

Over the years, I have found that you don't necessarily have to spend more to get better results. In fact, some of my most effective marketing campaigns have been the bare-bones budget ones!

This Shoestring Marketing Q&A Call is an extra bonus for anyone who invests in my new program, "10 Ways to Market On a Shoestring Budget" by June 20th.

Don't worry if you can't make the live call because I will be recording it. Just make sure to submit your questions prior to the call so I can be sure to answer them.

You can get all the details and secure your spot on the Shoestring Marketing Q&A Call at www.10stepmarketing.com/shoestringmarketing.htm

I'd love to answer YOUR marketing questions on June 26th and help you save on your marketing and improve your results ... ALL at the same time. You can reserve your spot at www.10stepmarketing.com/shoestringmarketing.htm

Here's to your marketing success ... for less!

Complimentary Preview Call for my Brand New Diamond Coaching Group on July 15, 2008 at 5pm PT (8pm ET)

If you feel like your business is a "diamond in the rough" ... meaning you know the potential is there, but you're having trouble getting there quickly on your own, you don't want to miss this Preview Call.

On July 15th I will be introducing my brand new Diamond Coaching Group that will begin in September. This could be just what you need to turn your business into the gleaming success you know it has the potential to be.

On this complimentary call, I'll be filling you in on all the details of this brand new program and telling you how you can gain PRIORITY ACCESS and jump to the head of the line for one of the ONLY 10 SPOTS available.

This program includes unprecedented access to me ... it truly puts me and an entire team of people ON YOUR MARKETING TEAM for the next year.

Reserve your spot on the call here. Tele-seats are limited so don't delay.