I recently received word from a prospect that she had opted for a “lower cost” online program. That’s fine, of course; I’m glad she found a good fit for her needs and I hope it serves her well. Indeed, lower cost platforms do exist. They’re ripe for the picking.

(For perspective, keep in mind that TipTopics plans start at just $39 a month. Now, back to our program…)

What concerns me about her decision is that by choosing a cheap, limited-reach, you-gotta-do-everything-yourself alternative, she’s probably ignoring the value of her time AND inviting potential risks to her reputation.

Here’s what I mean:

Ordinary programs typically require you to be the writer, editor, designer, contact manager, and even an HTML coder and troubleshooting geek. That takes effort. That takes skill. That takes time. In fact, with most programs, you’ll likely spend from 4 to 12 hours, or even more, every month to manage your email-only program. On the other hand, with TipTopics, you’ll probably spend no more than an hour each month (some report that TipTopics takes just 15 to 30 minutes). So before you go solo with another program, keep that time factor in mind.

And what about those potential risks to your reputation? If you use another program, you’re typically on your own. And without a professional advocate in your corner, you could make a damaging misstep. Do you know how to write a subject line to maximize interest? Do you know how to craft a “hook” to encourage opens and click-throughs? Do you know how to prepare each message or longer-form article to enhance your image? Do you know how to position yourself as a trusted authority and “go-to” expert?

That’s why we created TipTopics: to empower you  to send more professional messages with better reach (but with a lot less effort). We make it easy for you to go beyond the inbox to deliver messages that matter to connections that count. And at the risk of repeating myself, we do this “heavy lifting” for as little as $39 a month.

So what is your time worth? What is your reputation worth? Just asking…

Want more information? Email me or call me at 1.888.Get.Tip.1 (that’s 1.888.438.8471). Of course, you can also visit www.tiptopics.com and check out the PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS page. Do it today. After all, time’s a-wastin’.

FOLLOW TIPTOPICS ON TWITTER:

TipTopics is on Twitter, too. Just look for @TipTopics.

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QUICK TIP:

It’s a balancing act for entrepreneurs and small business owners: finding effective ways to cut costs and save time while also implementing new business growth strategies. Is there a solution that can help accomplish both objectives? You bet there is: hire a virtual assistant.

VAs provide affordable virtual office support services to busy professionals like you, freeing up time and money so you can focus on stregic business growth.

The past few months, I’ve shared some ways a VA can help you in your business. Here are a couple more:

• Want to publish a monthly or quarterly newsletter? You can provide your VA with the content and mailing list, and the VA will take care of it for you. Maybe your VA can even write the content for you – we do!
• Want to know more about your competitors? Have your VA do internet research and report the findings. This essential information can help your business succeed in today’s competitive marketplace.

There are many other ways to use a VA. What tasks would YOU like to outsource? Contact me and we’ll discuss your specific needs.
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WORDS OF WISDOM:

“To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

- commonly attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, perhaps an adaptation of a work by Bessie Stanley

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I would like to introduce you to a new resource for up-to-date information on real estate: www.jamesanthonyrealestate.com. Please take a few moments to check out this informative site, and sign-up for a free service called Market Snapshot. This free service will give you specific information on homes for sale in your neighborhood, as well as how much homes have sold for in the last 90 days. This service updates itself every two weeks, so you will always have current information about your area.

And don’t forget to check out my Helpful Links page with various money saving Web links to make your life easier.

Visit  www.jamesanthonyrealestate.com frequently for new tools and information that will give you the edge in information about the real estate market.

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Presented by Bob Chenoweth:

When the going gets tough, the smart business professional gets tougher and demands a marketing solution that saves time, saves money AND offers peak performance. That’s why we created TipTopics.

So what makes TipTopics the peak-performance e-marketing solution?

TipTopics is powerful. TipTopics goes beyond run-of-the-mill email marketing. Way beyond. With TipTopics, you can stay “top of mind” with your current contacts AND reach hundreds or even thousands of Web visitors and other strategically targeted prospects 24/7/365. Our proprietary system even includes secure performance tracking so you can monitor — and act on — your results.

TipTopics is easy. TipTopics EZ-Build format for quick-contact emails makes email marketing simpler than ever. With certain plans, email content excerpts can even be posted to TipTopics.com as a blog or compiled into ready-made articles for bonus exposure. What’s more, we handle opt-ins and opt-outs to keep you in compliance with CAN-SPAM regulations.

TipTopics is flexible. With our adaptable service plans, you can select the best package for your unique marketing needs. You can bundle custom e-articles, quick-contact emails, print-on-demand tri-fold brochures, professional video, e-books and more. If you have suitable content ready to go, we can place it into our system and get you the exposure you deserve. We can even draw attention to your Blog.

TipTopics is all about you. Everything we create or post on your behalf is designed to showcase your expertise and business services. We even protect your competitive advantage by guaranteeing exclusive exposure (no direct competitors) on any TipTopics feature page — email or Web — where your content appears.

TipTopics is affordable. TipTopics is a remarkably cost-effective alternative to traditional media. And factoring in your time savings, we’re even less expensive than those limited-reach, hard-to-manage, do-it-yourself email marketing programs. And you can save even more with our special limited-time offer. (See below).

Still not convinced? Check out our video.

Better yet, take it from TipTopics participant Michele Urban:

“OK, this is the coolest…. It’s more professional than a blog and “T-squared” (the TipTopics Team) does all the work! Now that’s MY kind of marketing. Bravo to TipTopics! Everyone should do this!”

So, if your business needs a jump start to get noticed, create buzz, or stay “top of mind”, contact us right away at info@tiptopics.com or 1-888-Get-Tip-1 [1-888-438-8471].

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