Tone/Voice:

Casual yet informative with a bit of humor mixed in. Pretend that it’s your smart friend who you are glad you talked with because you learned something useful.

• Over voice is confident, with humility, never brash or boastful.
• Our tone is personal, personable and empathetic.
• Our language is clear, straightforward and jargon-free.
• Our demeanor is friendly, approachable and always professional.
• Our relationship to customers is respectful, kind and considerate.

Keywords:

• Use keywords (if keywords are provided) at least once in the blog post, but not more than three times.
• Make sure the keywords sound natural.

Information Sources:

• Please refer to the website URL (column C), the company profile, or any additional information given in the special instructions column.   Peruse the client website for other blogs to get a feel for tone and voice.
• Use the topic or subject given in the special instructions column and keywords, if given, otherwise, choose a blog topic that fits within the context of the keyword phrases.

Format:

• Put the URL (if a rewrite) at the top of the article, then the primary keyword phrase, then the title, and then the text.
• Use headers, bullet points and lists to break up the content and make it more readable.
• As these articles will be on the client’s pages, no call to action will be needed.
• Avoid sentences with more than 20 words unless absolutely necessary.
• Include at least three backlinks to MileIQ content whenever possible. Include at least one authoritative outbound link. Avoid using passive voice.
• Please keep in mind, the client wants regular people to be able to read and understand these blogs. Please avoid overly long sentences and words that the average Joe might not know the meaning of.

• Save the blogs as MileIQ – Article subject listed in column D (MileIQ – Work Vacation)
• Send article to [email protected] with HawkSEM in the subject line.

5 Ways to Get the Right Price Strategy for Your Business

Running a successful business has changed radically as the internet has become increasingly available to consumers and businesses alike. But, has it changed so much that it is unrecognizable? While many flailing startup companies today seem to believe that the four P’s of marketing are pray, pray, pray and pray some more, effective marketing strategies have not changed.

One of the four P’s of marketing is price. Having the right pricing strategy in place for your business is one thing that will have a major impact on that ever-important bottom line. In fact, in today’s cutthroat business world, it can mean the difference between ongoing success and inevitable failure. One of today’s most well-known investors, Warren Buffet , said “The single most important decision in evaluating a business is pricing power.” Here are five ways that are sure to help you determine what your pricing strategy should be.

1.     See Into the Future

Pricing is no longer just about numbers.  Instead, setting the right prices now takes some complex mental work. First, you must have a way of finding out what the customer believes they will get when they purchase your product or service. This is also known as your target segment. It’s a little bit like trying to see into the future. This perceived value can then be added to what other customers are currently paying for similar items or services.  The third part of this combination is the actual amount that it costs you to get or provide the item or service. When you add all of these together and take a good look at them, you should end up with something called perceived value, or what customers believe it is worth.

2.     Get Inside Their Heads

Taking a look at the psychology behind purchasing is another way to make your pricing strategy more effective. For instance, while many companies still offer price comparisons as a way to drive sales, one recent study has found that this may actually be the worst thing you could do. This study found that consumers who are left to make their own price comparisons ended up spending more than consumers who were simply given the prices to compare (who all too often, simply did not purchase either option).

How about the fabulous number nine, does it really help to increase sales? Consumers today have so much information available – surely, they have seen news stories or social media links explaining the power of ending the price of an item with a nine.  One marketing professor who taught at Rutgers Business School recently found that ending a price with the number nine did have “a considerable effect on sales.” While the psychology behind the nines has not been completely explained, there is no doubt among marketers that it has very real power.

Using an effective high-low pricing strategy is yet another way to positively affect your margins as the lower priced items gain attention and customers begin to noticed the higher priced, more attractive options as well.

3.     It’s a Time Thing

Thinking about your effective pricing strategy solely in terms of dollars and cents could lead you to missing out on increased revenues. One recent study found that time has more value to consumers than marketers had anticipated. In fact, in today’s fast-paced world, almost every consumer is looking for ways to save time.  To make the best use of this new information, experts suggest that advertisements for a products or services focus more on the time a consumer will save, spend, or enjoy rather than on the price of the product.

4.     Don’t Cheap Out

Doing the legwork to find out what comparable items or services are selling for is still an incredibly important part of creating a pricing strategy. Basic intuition would compel most of us to find the lowest price that is available and set our prices just a little bit lower.  As it happens, this is not the way to boost revenues. In order to ensure that your price strategy will end up in a positive cash flow, you must take into account the following:

• Labor
• Production overhead
• Materials
• Sales costs
• Admin and financing costs
• Marketing costs

Many times, customers see the lowest price as the “budget option” and pass right by.  One recent article reviewed the information gained by interviewing 28 entrepreneurs with a net worth of one hundred million dollars or more. One of the most important pieces of information gleaned from these interviews was the fact that half of the businesses succeeded by setting higher prices based on additional value.

5.     Set Your Stage

The most well-known case study for context-based pricing involves beer.  You may be scratching your head and wondering if any dependable information can be gained by offering people some Budweiser! As it turns out, the study was able to prove that thirsty beachgoers were willing to pay more for the exact same can of beer if they knew it was going to be purchased from a nice hotel as opposed to a run-down grocery store nearby. While your business may not be marketing beer, you can certainly use the information gained about pricing potential.  By taking the time to evaluate the key differentiating factor of your business, you will be able to make sure that the context in which you are selling your product is at its optimal level.

Because your pricing strategy is likely to make such a large impact on your business’s bottom line, you cannot simply set it and hope to break even. High gross margins not only add value to your company, they attract possible investors as well. By keeping up with current and upcoming marketing trends, your pricing strategy and margins can successfully ride the wave of our ever-changing economy.

The 10 best Self-Employed/Freelance Jobs that Allow for Travel

We all have things that call to us.  I do not mean people who call out to us.  I mean things, interests, or appetites that seem to return to the forefront of our thoughts no matter what we are doing. For me, it is travel.  No matter where I am, no matter what task I am occupied with, my mind longs to travel, to think about travel, or to plan my next batch of travels. In fact, you might say that while others are traveling to get to work, I am only working to get to my next round of travel.

Some might say that I am hopelessly addicted and I would tend to agree.  My addiction, however, helps me learn new things, experience unique cultures and keeps me happy, even when I am not currently traveling.

Funding Your Expensive Habit

Travel can be expensive. The cost of one plane ticket alone can zap your monthly grocery budget. And how about paying for lodging, food and money to see the sights? Most (normal) people prefer to select a desired trip, figure out how much it will cost and then save up that amount before they travel.  However, if you live to travel and have trouble with the waiting part of this equation, then you might want to look at self-employment or freelance jobs that you can do while you are traveling.  Here are 10 that can move with you as they ensure you can pay the bills.

1. Trade – Anyone with investment experience knows that with a laptop and an internet connection, they can truly work anywhere. While it may be risky to begin working for yourself in investments, it is also a thrill. And those who have spent time taking care of other people’s money are certainly used to taking risks. Seeing the world while working in investments and trading is possible, but only if you can guarantee that you will be able to access the internet constantly. One failed trade due to a slow or poor internet connection could certainly ruin some of your best-laid travel plans.
2. Write – If you have a talent for writing, then you have a skill that will travel anywhere you do. No matter where your writing talent lies, there is a chance that there is a blog, a website or a company that needs what you can produce. Freelance writers are able to select the types of things that they prefer to write and leave the rest behind. It is a good idea to get a few months under your belt working as a freelance writer before you take off on your travels, just to ensure that you can make enough to cover your travel costs.
3. Travel Agent – One side benefit to having a travel addiction is the wealth of knowledge that you gain simply by traveling! Why not put your know-how to work for you and become a travel agent? Once again, you would need to make sure that you had a reliable internet connection and phone plan no matter where you decided to roam. An added benefit to this type of self-employment is that when you are working, you are still doing what you love!
4. Tutor – In many countries, parents look for ways to help their children become more proficient in the English language. It is possible to use this to your advantage. For instance, one company will hire you to teach English online – from wherever you are!

5. Consultant – If you have spent years punching a time clock, and in the process have become an expert in your field, it may be time to step away from being an employee and be your own boss. You can take the skills and knowledge with you and work as a consultant to companies all over the world.
6. Vlog – With over a billion people who watch YouTube, the market is ready. If you are great on camera, are friendly and outgoing and love to show off what you are doing, vlogging may be the perfect job for you. Your vlog does not even have to be travel-related. One beauty vlogger is reported to make over $650,000 per year, which is enough to fund some great travels!
7. Podcast – The growing popularity of podcasts is most likely due to the fact that people want to learn on the go. If you have something to say, teach or explain, you might want to take a dive into podcasting. With the right equipment, you can record from any location.
8. Web Design – Do you spend time on the internet thinking about how you could help make a company’s website not only look better but function better? Then perhaps being self-employed as a web designer would help fund your travel addiction.  With a great portfolio and internet connection, there is rarely a need for face-to-face meetings, leaving you to travel as you create.
9. Accounting – Working for an accounting firm typically means working when your boss needs you to. However, accountants who set up on their own can take their work anywhere they want. It is entirely possible to build a digital clientele so that you can interact and work from wherever you might be. Talented and reliable accountants are always in demand.
10. Scuba Dive Instructor – Many places around the world are in need of qualified dive instructors. The right qualifications may just make you a hot commodity. As a bonus, when you have seen enough of one location, you will be able to pick what you’d like to see and teach next.

Take a Test Drive

Though the thought of being your own boss while you roam the globe is enticing, it is always a good idea to test drive your idea before making the final decision. Keep your day job and work your freelance job on the side for 6-12 months to ensure that you will be able to fund your travels and dreams adequately.  Then give in to your addiction and begin the travel that you’ve always dreamed of.

Strangest Pit Stops to Check out on the Road

If you took unrelenting wanderlust and combined it with a passion for being in the driver’s seat, chances are high that you would end up with something that looks very much like an epic road trip.  Add in a little bit of OCD into this mix and this road trip would be planned out to the nearest mile marker to ensure that you would not miss anything important along the way.

But what about after you have taken your epic road trip, and have pictures of all of the well-known sights? For some, the lingering need to get back in the driver’s seat and drive to new places never quite leaves. This is when you may want to plan a different sort of road trip, one that focuses less on Mount Rushmore and more on the biggest ball of twine in the world.

How to Ensure Your Pit Stop Qualifies as Unique

If you read the previous sentence and thought “why in the world would anyone want to see a gigantic ball of string,” then I suggest that you stop reading immediately and find recommendations for a road trip that will take you to see less unique places.

Those who are bent on seeing some of the strangest and most unusual sights on a cross-country road trip are often trying to look outside of the proverbial box.  Unique stops along the way, in my opinion, should always make people wonder if they are real or if they are a hoax. Next, it really helps if there is awesome signage announcing what the attraction is – just so that you can take selfies to show off later.  Another great qualifier to look for is the number of miles the attraction can hold your attention.  The longer you must wait in anticipation to figure out exactly what the pit stop is, the better. And finally, remember the saying ‘the bigger the better’.  As it turns out, almost anything that is gigantic, huge or the world’s largest is almost certain to be a unique place to take a pit stop.

Must-See Pit Stops

The best part about epic road trips is the fact that they can live on forever as like-minded wanderers share what they have found. In the spirit of helping others plan a trip full of interesting and unusual pit stops, I have compiled a list that should help you to get a start on your planning.

• The Thing – One of our unusual pit stops has the ability to hold attention for a total of 247 billboards or signs. These stretch between Tuscon, AZ and El Paso, TX. These signs only make people have questions as they advertise The Thing. Most travelers are unable to resist and exit the freeway just to find out exactly what The Thing is.
• Noah’s Ark – Just off of I-68 in Maryland, you will find a structure resembling the metal skeleton of a very large building. Visitors are invited to make a stop in Frostburg to see for themselves. Alongside this metal giant is a large sign announcing that Noah’s Ark is, indeed, being rebuilt on-site.
• World’s Largest Ball of Paint – Should your travels take you on I-69 in Indiana, make sure to take time to visit the world’s largest ball of paint. Not only can you touch the anomaly (which happens to be a baseball that is covered in approximately 25,000 layers of paint) you can actually pay a few dollars to paint a new layer on it. Your claim to fame at this pit stop includes a certificate showing that you took part in building this 40+ year project.
• The Blue Whale – No trip photo stream would be complete without visiting a representation of the largest living animal in the world, right? Thankfully this giant creature can be found in Catoosa, OK. It was apparently built by two friends in 1972 as a very unique anniversary gift. Today, guests are welcome to swim in the lake and take a dive off of its tail into the lake water.
• Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue – Nothing screams uniqueness quite like a bizarre 13-foot statue of a grinning peanut. It was built in honor of President Jimmy Carter and can be found in Plains, GA.
• UFO Landing – It is not often that you can get picture proof of an alien landing site, however, the UFO landing port in Poland, WI offers just such an opportunity. Take a detour off of I-43 and ask to tour the spectacle. You may even be lucky enough to get a picture with an alien.

It’s All About the Memories

The most important thing to remember as you are cruising around the highways and byways of the USA is to make great memories. This incredibly abbreviated list will give you a head start on the types of oddities that are waiting to be discovered out there, but your own list is sure to be just as unique as your trip. I’m pretty certain that with the right kind of planning, your memories will be just as epic as your road trip.