Need your advice

[seeingred]

would love to learn more about blogging, any advice on books or audio? I use mainly FB for my business so far, but I am just starting out so it doesn't seem to be going fast enough for me. getting out into the community and advertising is my next step.

[123Marketing]

I agree with a lot of the advice given, such as...

1. Wordpress Blog web site - it'll help you grow your business and automate a lot of your marketing.

2. Adding marketing verbiage to your Fan Page.

To answer the WordPress .ORG vs .COM - always go .COM. Self-hosted gives you access to tens of thousands of useful plugins and you have more control. HostGator gives you adequate hosting for $4.95/mos and their tech support rocks. I'm a webmaster, I know good verses bad tech support.

Other thoughts:

1. Go to Fiverr.com and hire someone (for $5) to create you a better wall photo for your Fan Page. Having a longer photo with a MARKETING CALL TO ACTION is better and more attention getting that what you have now. If you visit my page, you can see the ideas 1-2-3's of Internet Marketing - Website - West Palm Beach, FL | Facebook.

2. What target audience is the most ready to buy services such as yours? It isn't just someone looking to research their family, because there is software for those 'do-it-yourselfers'. WHO specifically is most likely to buy? Describe them as much in detail as you can. Because then I want you to find those fan pages and like them. Not just genealogy pages. Where else? When you like them, you, as your LCW fan page, can comment and post on those other pages. Don't post sales, post relevant comments. But with your new wall photo as your thumbnail, those who see your post will 'like' your page. You can't do that until you determine your who your target audience is.

3. Create videos on the value of finding your family history (not how to do it - not your audience). With shows on television about celebrities finding their background, you can tap into that buy telling some of the unique stories you find (get clients' permission if you use their specific stories). Those videos go on Youtube, in your own channel, and then with a plugin pulls into your Wordpress.com site and then to your Facebook page.

I have tons more for you, but the above is plenty to get you started.

Hope it helps.

- Elizabeth

[QueenMaa]

You may also want to get some business cards about your business and pass them out.

[WAHIndustries]

I know that sounds a bit silly with a service, but how simple/complicated are your services. I don't know much about what you do, so assume I am the majority. How can you simplify your packages? Maybe a simple "2 generation FAmily Tree" framed for kids .. for a low price, then use that to lead into more services and upsells.

Just an idea.

[rhpearson1]

Originally Posted by linny

Hello,

I am a stay at home genealogist. Which means I research people's families in Virginia for a fee. I need advice on how to drum up some more business. I have done some research for people but not a whole lot. I am running out of ideas on how to get the word out to people about my business. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Right now I only have a Facebook page for it. You can see that by clicking the link in my signature. Also while you are viewing my Facebook page if you think that page needs anything please let me know.


Thanks,

Linda

Your business would be a great one to use with SEO. Find a few key terms for what you do that others are searching for. Example, "Houston genealogist" Then work your website pages around those terms. You can also do guest posts for blogs to get attention back on your site, print business cards to hand out and find presentation opportunities in the areas where you live - talk about what you do and make other people interested, too!

[linny]

First of I would like to say thank you for all of your wonderful suggestions.

Secondly, the reason why I don't have a website just yet is because I can't get the wording right. Meaning I know what I want to say but when I type up what I want to say it doesn't sound good enough to me. So then I work on it. I suppose I am trying to get it to sound perfect. Which is why my Facebook page looks so plain. I want to be able to draw in clients but I am too worried about content and how it sounds when I write it.

I take all your suggestions to heart and use them whenever I am able to.