Toby Keith Provides Free Tips to Market Your Writing and Business

Are your friends and family tired of you asking "Did you read my article on AC?" Well, if so, perhaps you need to rethink the subject matter of your articles. Are you writing about things that your friends and family care about? If not, then take this as an opportunity to get to know your friends and family better and to come up with subject material to write about.

Country music singer, Toby Keith's song, "I Wanna Talk About Me," hit the nail on the head when it comes to getting people to listen to you (that includes writing articles).

Yeah, Yeah
That's right

We talk about your work how your boss is a jerk
We talk about your church and your head when it hurts
We talk about the troubles you've been having with your brother
About your daddy and your mother and your crazy ex-lover
We talk about your friends and the places that you've been
We talk about your skin and the dimples on your chin
The polish on your toes and the run in your hose
And God knows we're gonna talk about your clothes
You know talking about you makes me smile
But every once in awhile

I wanna talk about me
Wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number one
Oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see
I like talking about you you you you, usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about meeeeee (me,me,me,me-background singers)
I wanna talk about me (me,me-background singers)

We talk about your dreams and we talk about your schemes
your high school team and your moisturizer creme
We talk about your nanna up in Muncie, Indiana
We talk about your grandma down in Alabama
We talk about your guys of every shape and size
The ones that you despise and the ones you idolize
We talk about your heart, bout your brains and your smarts
And your medical charts and when you start
You know talking about you makes me grin
But every now and then

I wanna talk about me
Wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number one
Oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see
I like talking about you you you you, usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about me (me,me,me,me- background singers)
I wanna talk about meeeeeeee (me,me- background singers)
(I wanna talk about me- background singers)mmmm me me me me
(I wanna talk about me- background singers)mmmm me me me me
You you you you you you you you you you you you you

I wanna talk about ME!

I wanna talk about me
Wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number one
Oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see
I like talking about you, you, you, you, usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about meeeeeeee (me,me,me,me-background singers)
I wanna talk about me (me,me,-background singers)
I wanna talk about me (me,me,me,me,me,me-background singers)
Oh me!

The point of this song is to remember that occasionally, people want to talk (and read) about things that they have an interest in, not just things that interest you.

So, make a list of all your friends and family. Under each name, list their activities and interests. When you socialize with friends and family, pay attention to what the conversations are about. Make mental notes and later write these down as subject ideas for articles.

Perhaps, you could even interview your friends and family about their jobs, hobbies, or interests. Once you have done these things, it's time to start marketing your articles.

Now you can tell your family and friends, "Oh, I wrote an article about one of your interests." Your friends and family should be the first people that you are directing your articles towards. Tell them that reading your articles will allow you to make money. Ask them to read some of your articles--not all of them. Tell them you would appreciate feedback on your articles. How could you have written an article to be more interesting or do they know of information you could have included?. Tell them about what you are up to during visits and when chatting on the phone with them, update them on what's happening with you. Let them know how much you appreciate their help and make them feel that they are a big part of your growth as a budding entrepreneur. Just don't go overboard-you don't want to bore them to tears-just mention it occasionally in casual conversation.

Join boards and forums that are related to your business or go to online networks where your target market is. Once you have joined, post on appropriate forums for these networks.

Use social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace by searching for topics related to your business, and connect with people who have listed these as their interests. Join Facebook groups that share similar interests with your business.

Read the help sections on these social media sites to determine how to use Twitter lists and groups of similar interests.

Make up business cards listing your profession as a writer with your contact information and on-line sites where your articles can be found.

Get out and about. Don't sit at your computer all the time. Visit local neighborhood shops or malls. Strike up friendly conversations with strangers whom you think might be interested in what you do. Give them your business card. If at a business, offer to write an article about the business and take photographs. Tell them it is free publicity for them.

Volunteer to write a column for a local newspaper or weekly advertising circular. Hand out posters, handmade postcards, or flyers at the mall with information about your writing, including offering to write articles for businesses. Put your flyers on the cars at the parking lots.

Drop your business cards in the customer drop box at restaurants or other establishments. Create a free website for your writing. Post a blog about your writing. Post links to your website in your social media accounts and include this in your email signature.

Create YouTube videos explaining what you do as well as advertising your business. Join YouTube memes and be creative - find a way to integrate it with your business. When people search for memes your video will be included and will consequently drive traffic to your site.

Put a link to your website in the YouTube description or even at the end of your YouTube video. You can also put a link to your website at the end of every email that you write.

Post messages in chat rooms under topics related to your business or the industry where it is in. Find other blogs discussing your industry and leave meaningful comments as well as a link back to your website. If you have a home-based business, put a sign outside your house. List yourself in local directories.

Be an expert on your topic or industry. Offer advice to people who need help in relation to what you do. Offer to be a speaker at schools so you can motivate them about setting up their own businesses. Offer to be a speaker in other engagements to talk about your area of expertise.

Put up bumper stickers, signs or flags on your car so you are also advertising while driving. Remember to obey the law and not cause accidents by doing this.

Design creative bumper stickers to give away that people can put on their cars too. For example "Baby in car" or "Student driver" - they are useful to a lot of people. You can design this with your website in a much smaller font at the bottom or at the top. Join mailing lists and network with other people. Make your email address as a form of marketing in itself by using your business name as a username. Sign up for instant messengers, invite your friends to join, connect, then leave a link to your website in your message to them.

Offer to exchange links with other blogs and websites. Offer to let other businesses advertise in your blog or website in exchange for them promoting you. Offer a discount to your customers in exchange for promoting you or referrals. Offer to do business-to-business with other companies (i.e. If you are a pet photographer, take photos of the dogs at the pet shop for free, in exchange for having a stack of your business cards displayed at the counter for anyone to see.)

Visit your local library and discreetly insert your business card or flyer in books related to your business. Buy a popular but expired domain for a low price and then redirect them to your website. Avail of free traffic exchanges. Hook up with a website that specializes on traffic exchange and sign up for a free account. Fill out your profile. After that you will be given a list of websites for you to visit. For every site you visit, you will receive one visitor to your website or blog in return.

Advertise at a local classified ads. Advertise on a billboard (rent is approximately around $8-15/day depending on location).

Network with local DJs and have them mention your name or business in exchange for writing about them. Network with online podcasters and online radios and have them promote you in exchange for writing about them.

Join bazaars and get known by the community. Join writers groups and scope out other writers and network with them. If you are a tradesman, join trade shows and talk to other trades people about their business and offer to write articles about them. Talk to customers and hand them your business card, asking them what type of articles they like to read.

Be visible in public events and network with people, make friends and let them know what you do. Submit your blog posts or website individually in several bookmarking sites like Digg or Delicious.

Wear customized apparel like bracelets, caps or shirts mentioning your websites and wear them whenever you go out. Offer to guest write in a blog in exchange for a short bio about you and a link to your website.

Offer to guest write in a newspaper or any local print magazine in exchange for promoting your business. Always keep your blog updated with fresh content to draw more visitors.

Hold contests in your blog to keep readers interested. Give out freebies in your blog to draw public attention. List your blog in online directories. Employ SEO strategies to keep your blog on top of online searches. Write a free ebook on a topic of your expertise and offer it as a free download in your website.

Put a link to your website inside your ebook. Upload the ebook in other ebook banks or directories for others to see and download. Make a free magazine or zine to distribute at local bookstores. Put a link to your website or blog in the free magazine or zine. Avail of Google PPC ads. Advertise in Twitter or Facebook.

Sign up for a virtual business card and link to all your social media accounts as well as your website and blog. Get a LinkedIn account and network with other business people and entrepreneurs. Put a flyer with the referral link to your website in the tear off tabs and put them up in public bulletin boards.

Join business organizations or attend events and tell people about your business. Offer to sponsor an event in exchange for showing off your business name and logo. Create a unique logo and register for a unique business name that will surely stand out. Print your logo and website address to different office materials like pencils and notepads to give away to people.

Design calendars to give away. On the final and first pages include information about your business and your website. Make sure that all the pages in your website have your business name at the bottom of the page as well as a link to the home page. Create a Contact page in your website and put all of your contact information there to make sure that you are easy to reach.

Create email newsletters that you can send to your subscribers. Sign up for workshops, conferences or seminars related to your industry. Not only is it a great opportunity to better your skills but to network with other entrepreneurs like you as well who have the same skill set and might be useful to you in the future. Create other focus-centric websites related to your business. Make them entertaining and easy to relate to, and put a link to your website in a prominent area. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you can create a separate blog talking about design then link back to your website.

Use direct mail - get addresses from a phone book of individuals or companies who might benefit from your writing skills or business knowledge and send them postcards that are personalized to give out information about you. Offer to write about their business.

Write a press release about your business and submit them to press release databases online.

Advertise in other blogs or websites via a banner.

Create keychains or keyrings with your name and logo on it to give away at locksmiths, car shops, gasoline stations, etc.

Create a podcast about your business or a general interest, or even a topic that is quite popular and you have a lot of knowledge about. At the end of each podcast, advertise your business and your website link.

Have a garage sale. Every time someone makes a purchase, make sure that you include your business card in the bag or a flyer advertising your business.

Put an ad in Craiglist offering your services and your contact info if possible.

Get a lot of balloons or kites, tie your information on the strings, and let them all just fly away.

I have tried some of these ideas-such as posting links on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. I also tell businesses when I ask to take pictures that this is free publicity for them.

If any of you readers try the other ideas, please let me know how they come out.

Thanks!