How to Attract Clients by Blogging
Last April I met two very interesting ladies, Patsi and Denise of the Blog Squad, at a marketing bootcamp. What intrigued me about them was that their business was all about blogs.
I’ve been very skeptical about blogs. I usually think of blogs as being written by people who only write about their kids and pets which is very interesting to your own family but generally not to everyone else.
I hadn’t really considered using a blog to increase the number of clients on my site nor had I thought about the impact and significance it could have for my students at The Birthing Business Institute.
I’ve been very wrong to over look blogs as a passing fad. Very wrong!
What continues to blow my mind is how effective they are for getting your name way high in the search engine, how incredibly easy they are to set up and use and how it can transform your business.
After meeting the Blog Squad, I decided that I had to learn more and that this would be a very important subject for all of the students of the Birthing Business Institute.
Please join me on Tuesday, October 16th as I grill The Blog Squad on how to get more visibility and how to turn more prospects to into your paying clients.
You can register at: http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/SM/
I’m excited. I know that I still have some things to learn to get more traffic onto my blog and website. I invited you to join me on the call! Learn from the best! Register at: http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/SM/
Here is to your success …
Sheri Menelli
The Birthing Business Institute
760-431-2228
www.birthingbusiness.com
PS – If you are terrified of technology and don’t even have a website than you absolutely need to be on this call. http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/SM/ I promise that this is easy!
Eat, Pray, Love – What does it have to do with your business? Everything!
Eat, Pray, Love – What does it have to do with your business? Everything!
Ok, I’ll give full disclosure here. I haven’t read the book yet. I’m planning on getting it this week. I’ve avoided a lot of Oprah’s book choices because the ones I’ve read in the past were so sad and depressing. This one looks pretty happy. I like happy! I need happy!
I do Tevo Oprah and watch it on occasion depending on the topic.
I thought that the author’s advice on 3 things you can do to feel good about yourself totally merged with my advice on growing your birthing business.
She says to ask yourself “What do I really really really want?”(for business, ask yourself what your goal is. Can’t get to your goal if you don’t know what it is – it gives you focus!)
Second she says to keep a happiness journal. What is the happiest thing that happened today? (Gratefulness is helpful for drawing the right people and events into your life – makes life more fun too!)
Third, change your mantra. If the mantra is “Why am I not getting clients” or “Why am I not making money” then that is your problem! Change your mantra. You become what/who you think about.
Examples of Thinking Outside the Box
In my course How to Grow Your Birthing Business 
http://www.birthingbusiness.com/growyourbusiness, I emphasize the importance of having a vision, a plan and thinking big!
I love to find new ideas of entrepreneurs thinking out of the box. Here is an example of one sent to me by Carol Yeh-Garner (website is AWellLivedLife.net)
This is a website with daily yoga classes that you can take ONLINE! Very clever. Even better, they are putting each class on DVD to sell.
http://www.yogatoday.com
Here are yoga instructors in Jackson, WY who were at a disadvantage as far as the number of people they could physically reach in their area. I just checked the stats and there are only 4000 women in the whole area. They didn’t let where they live get in the way. They are reaching the entire world! They are no longer disadvantaged! They are smart!
If you know of anyone thinking outside of the box in their business, I’d love to hear about it.
Check the blog daily! We have a lot of great business information that we will be posting!
Breastfeeding Blog gets Attention on NPR
I’m still looking for people I can interview on blogs for an article for Midwifery Today. If you or someone you know has had a blog for at least a month that relates to birth, pregnancy or the newborn, I’d love to talk to you. Email me by posting a comment or go to www.birthingbusiness.com for more contact information.
I spoke to Mickey Jones in Tennessee about her blog: http://www.mochamilk.blogspot.com/
Her blog is for “All things related to breastfeeding and the African-American woman. General breastfeeding information, issues specific to African-Americans (and biracial and other minorities), support, research and encouragement.”
Not long ago NPR did a special on blogging in the African-American community. They mentioned her blog!
Would you like to learn more about blogging? I’ve decided that it is time to teach about blogs so I’ve teamed up with the Blog Squad to show you what you need to know to have a successful blog that will help you attract more clients and spread the message about birth.
Take a blog class over the phone or we can send you the CD and transcripts.
http://www.blogsquadteleseminars.com/SM/
Sheri Menelli
The Birthing Business Institute
www.birthingbusiness.com
Birth in the Media
One of my favorite shows is Grey’s Anatomy. I think I might like Private Practice even more.
I’m thrilled that they are talking about alternative medicine and especially that they have a midwifery student at the front desk.
Last night’s episode was very funny. The midwifery student (male) was inviting Naomi to his class to speak. She didn’t want to but Addison did. Addison is trying to prove herself to the midwifery student by listing off all of her technical degrees and knowledge and he just wants away saying that they don’t need her.
What I’m really hoping is that the writers are going to show something positive about birth. Wouldn’t it be great if Addison gets the shock of her life when she finds out that the body is not a lemon and that birth can be very serene instead of a medical emergency.
I’m putting this out there – here is a list of what I’d love to see happen this season:
1. Addison begins to like and have a lot of births!
2. We see positive births using Lamaze, Bradley, Birthing From Within, Hypnosis and other independent childbirth classes.
3. We see a successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean)
4. We hear Addison talk about how she was able to reduce her c-section rate to 5%.
5. We see a waterbirth – again that goes well!
6. We see Ina May Gaskin make a guest appearance and work with a mom to give birth.
7. We see a mom breastfeeding in public.
8. We see a doula at the birth who does a great job and has a great personality (no attitude that causes strife with the doctor and no conflict with the doula and the doctor or patient!)
9. Some patient reading MY book in the waiting room “Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth by Sheri Menelli”
10. A natural birth with twins that isn’t a medical emergency.
Hmm, I know I’m missing a lot here still. But this is my wish list.
If you know the writers, producers or actors, please pass on my list. 
Ok, what does this have to do with the business of birth?
I predict that if this show favorably depicts birth, we will see a major shift in birth in the US in the next 2 years!
If you want to change birth, you have to start with the media.
It is more acceptable to be gay now than it was 20 years ago. Why is that? I believe that it was from the media.
Can you have an impact? Yes, you can write articles for the pregnancy magazines. You can circulate birth stories that aren’t medical emergencies. You can get on TV and talk about the positive birth trends for 2007-8.
By the way, I’d love to get some comments/feedback about this. What do you think will happen on Private Practice with birth?
Until Tomorrow!
Sheri Menelli
www.birthingbusiness.com
Your “business” doula (TM)
760-431-2228
Mom Marketing Virus
William Tell Mom Sayings
Hilarious video by www.anitarenfroe.com. This is a great example of a marketing virus!
What is a marketing virus? Well, it is something that is spread by users like a virus. Let’s face it, this is so funny that we want to share it with our friends. It is too bad that she doesn’t have a clip at the beginning to introduce herself or some text on the video with her website. I only knew her name because I dug on the internet for it.
Imagine spreading the word about birth by doing a video that became a virus!
Ina May Gaskin is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. I’d love to see her do a skit about birth. I think it would be an instant marketing virus!
Sheri Menelli
www.birthingbusiness.com
760-431-2228
