"Online Marketing Tools for Today's Small Business" Is A Must Read

Hello, Everyone:

With today's new Internet and the rise of social networking, this book is a must read for anyone doing business on the Internet now!

Come join me on this interview with author Rita Cartwright as she shares insights on herself AND her new book.

Also, want a free copy of the book? Rita is giving away a free copy of her e-book to a randomly selected participant at each of her Vitual Blog Tour stops. To qualify, post a comment or question.

PQ: Why did you write this book?

RC: My goal was to create a handbook, which entrepreneurs and small business owners can refer to when they are searching for online marketing tools and/or new marketing ideas. I wrote it for new entrepreneurs and small business owners, as well as for those who have been in business a while.

PQ: Tell me about yourself
RC: I’m originally from Arizona and now reside in California. I earned my bachelor’s degree (with Magna Cum Laude honors) from Arizona State University when I was 44 years old. After graduation, I couldn’t find a job; therefore, I decided to start my own business offering online word processing services, which was 6 years ago. At that time, I was not aware of the virtual assistant industry, which I am now a member of. So, I guess you can say I was ahead of the curve.

PQ: What qualifies you to write this book?
RC: Approximately 2 years ago, I started maintaining a blog and writing articles in order to implement the article marketing strategy. (I talk about using this strategy as a marketing tool in my e-book.) Also, while attending college, I learned how to write. I had to write. I remember my English professor saying I should be a writer, because he thought I had the skills. I didn’t take him serious. I was just trying to get through college.

In regards to the subject matter, my background and education in marketing and my experience from operating an online business provide me with the necessary qualifications to write this e-book on the topic of online marketing tools.

PQ: How long have you been an entrepreneur?
RC: I have been an entrepreneur since October 2002. Although I started out as a small business owner, I have become an entrepreneur. There are differences between entrepreneurs and small business owners. In fact, I wrote an article on the differences. It is titled, “Are There Any Differences Between an Entrepreneur and a Small Business Owner?” Ezine Articles is one of the article banks where you can find it.

PQ: What is the e-book about?
RC: This e-book contains information on various online marketing tools, along with some examples and in-depth descriptions of the tools. There is also a resource section that lists websites where you can find the online marketing tools, including “live” links to the websites. The resource section will save your readers a lot of time in Internet research when they are searching for information on online marketing tools.

PQ: What do you want the readers to get out of this e-book?
RC: I wanted to provide those readers, who have a shoestring marketing budget, with information they can use in their online marketing plan or, at least, generate new marketing ideas. Most entrepreneurs and small business owners do not have a large marketing budget. The marketing tools I discuss costs little to no money.

PQ: Can we look for more books from you in the future?
RC: Yes. One of my clients, who is a coach of Christian leaders, and I are currently working together on an e-book. It will be geared towards Christian leaders and Christian virtual assistants. So be on the lookout for that in the near future.

PQ: How can the readers contact you if they have any questions?
RC: Your readers can reach me at 760-631-1335 or toll free at 866-651-3073 or send me an e-mail at rjcartw@rjswordprocessing.com.

PQ: Rita, thank you for stopping by my blog on your tour.
RC: You are very welcome. Thank you, Paula, for having me.

Join Me on Rita Cartwright's Virtual Blog Tour and Enter to Win Her E-Book

On Thursday Oct. 30, Rita J. Cartwright will be stopping by my blog on her virtual book tour to promote her new e-book. Join me and comment or ask a question to be entered into the random drawing to win a copy of her new e-book, "Online Marketing Tools for Today's Small Business". Rita J. Cartwright is a Virtual Assistant and owner of RJ's Word Processing Services and has been in business since 2002.

In 1998, she received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Marketing from Arizona State University with a minor in Spanish. She is also a member of Virtual Assistant Networking Association and Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. In order to offer her clients quality service, Rita continues to enhance her skills through various teleseminars and webinars, as well as network online and offline with fellow entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Rita’s background in marketing and experience in conducting her business online qualify her to write an e-book on the topic of various marketing tools and strategies. Having to operate on a shoestring marketing budget, provided her with necessary knowledge and skills, which were required in order to implement these same strategies into her online marketing plan.

For more information on RJ’s Word Processing Services and Rita, please click here.

Summary of e-book: Entrepreneurs and small business owners in any industry can use this e-book as a reference guide. Whenever you need fresh online marketing ideas or need online marketing information, you can refer back to this e-book. Nowadays, we are so overwhelmed with information, Rita wanted to simplify the search for online marketing techniques by organizing some of that information together into one location, her e-book.

Pick up your copy today for only $3.98.

The Social Irony of Social Networking

I belong to several social networks and noticed that many of them are coming up with rules about spamming and promoting your business.

Granted, some of them are special interest (non-business related) groups so I can fully understand and appreciate wanting to eliminate spam. It is becoming wearisome to accept those friends' request only to get a barrage of invitations to explore that person's product or business.

BUT, let's get real here. If you took a a poll of those people joining social networks just for the social part of it versus the business generating part of it you probably would find that most people, certainly those who have businesses, are joining in order to attract business.

A common practice I see is people posting information like machines in order to provide "value." But of course, what they're really wanting to do is to attract more clients. There is something very duplicitous about this in my opinion. It seems too much like a bait and switch tactic to me -- advancing an unproven cyberspace friendship with a "real" agenda of doing business.

With so many social networks out there and so many people blogging anyway, I do not have the time to be an encyclopedia of factoids to provide some amorphous "value" to readers in the hopes that this perceived value will translate into clients. I am seeing so many factoids and article redirects now that my eyes are glazing over. The field is way too full with people taking this more "subtle" approach.

Oftentimes, people are providing so much information, I don't even know what their primary business is. I just know that they are a repository of information. In live networking such as in BNI, each person has to provide a 60 or 30 minute "commercial" about their business or at least tell whom whey are looking for.

Why is this straightforward approach getting so lost in the social media realm where any reference to your business is viewed to as "spam" in some circles?

If someone is posting and posting just to add "value" and I do not even know what their business is or whom they are looking for, then they haven't accomplished a whole lot in my opinion.

In "real" live networking a key theme is giver's gain. How can I help you? How can I help connect you to someone I know? I can't do that if I don't even really know what business you're in because it is being masked through an information dump. It also kind of says that maybe you don't need any help. You're home free. You just want to keep providing information so that I might want to do business with you. The question is how does that cycle back to me?

Rather than hiding behind the guise of information purveyor, just be up front about your business and what would take you to the next level. It could be the start of a truly beautiful friendship which is what social networking is all about!