5 No-Excuses Online Marketing Formulas for Handmade Micro-Business Owners

Guest post by: Donna Maria

According to a recent article in eMarketer, a recognized digital marketing authority, word of mouth marketing is critical for small business owners. I know. You already knew that. But the phrase, “word of mouth” means little unless it’s applied specifically to your business. What words? What mouths? How do you expose the eyes and ears to the messages you want them to spread Well, the words could be heard in person at a trade show or craft fair where you sell your products, or they could be seen in an advertisement and spread from there.

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I spent the last several days on pause, on #INDIECruise 2011. You can enjoy the photo album at our FaceBook Page here. As most of you know, this is a rare thing for me — or at least it used to be. Along with Lela Barker, Kelly Bloom, Dawn Fitch, Maria Gelnett, Robin Schmidt, Stephanie Craig, Nikki Brown, La Shonda Tyree and other IBN members and friends, I traded in my laptop and iPhone for the power of the pause.

I took this photo on Playa de San Juan, on Cozumel’s northwestern coast. While on pause, I enjoyed freshly prepared meals, an amazing spa, powerful MasterMind sessions, several amazingly creative INDIEs, and our earth’s natural beauty. I am now emerged from my pause inwardly and outwardly refreshed. Not once did I feel out of touch with anyone or anything. Instead, I felt in touch with myself, and that makes all the difference. Here are some of the ways I benefited from the power of the pause, and how you can too.

1. Experience beauty. Nature is healing. The sound of waves, the aroma of fresh sea air, the reflection of the sun and moon on the water’s smooth surface, the crash of waves against the rocky shore of Playa de San Juan, the peaceful flow of schools of fish in a clear blue sea. When you pause, try to do so in nature. You’ll feel alive and more a part of all things greater than yourself.
2. Create and strengthen relationships. I enjoyed deep and meaningful conversations. We shared long embraces. We laughed until we cried, then we cried until we laughed. I formed deep friendships, and watched others do the same. If you pause for nothing else, pause to create deep and lasting relationships with other human beings.
3. Celebrate the moment. I stopped many times just to breathe and feel where I was. Whether on a rocky shore, a gently shaking cabin bed, or overlooking the port as the ship sailed into or out of it, I relished the simple experience of where I was at the moment.

A Final Note

You don’t have to go to Mexico to experience the power of the pause. You can create your own mini-pauses throughout the day by shutting everything down for 15 or 20 minutes every afternoon. Turn off the computer, mute the phone, don’t answer knocks at the door, and let your family members and/or employees know that you are not to be disturbed for this period of time. Even though my pause took place while on #INDIEcruise with wonderful people, I went off to myself for stretches of time each day. You can do the same wherever you are, as you plan for a more comprehensive future pause. Speaking of which …

Join Us in 2012?

You can start planning to pause with us on #INDIEcruise 2012 by joining the public #INDIEcruise FaceBook Page where you’ll get the first update shortly about the date and location of our next cruise. We will make it easy for everyone to attend my including a payment plan so you can pay in small chunks. No pain, all gain!

Question: When was the last time you paused? What benefits and tips can you share?