LotusJump Blog

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper Cindy King from www.cindyking.biz and www.getinternationalclients.com who specializes in cross-cultural and international marketing:

We asked Cindy what the inspiration was behind her company, this is what she had to say:

I created my company to help business owners get international clients, through both a simple international marketing strategy and real tools to find the right cross-cultural positioning to enter a new market.

What got me here in the first place?  Well, I have held a variety of positions in sales and marketing to develop businesses internationally for over 25 years.  And, I live in an area just south of Paris, France, densely populated with small to mid-sized companies.  I simply met too many dynamic business owners who did not know how to take their companies international.  Also, I have been interested in cross-cultural communication all my life.  Cross-cultural communication and international sales fit together well.

When asked what achievement she was most proud of, Cindy said:

Generating qualified international leads within 3 months of being online and… that these leads were 100% on target.  Yes, I got the international positioning right the first time for my own business.

We asked Cindy why Internet marketing is so important for her company, this is what she had to say:

Internet marketing is important to me for two reasons:

First, I show my clients how to use culture-customized content to get more international clients… using the internet.  And second, I live in France and target North American clients interested in expanding into other countries.  So, I use internet marketing throughout many aspects of my business.

We gave Cindy a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what she said:

Well, I see American marketers using testimonials very strongly in their online promotions.  If you are targeting international audiences, you should rethink how you use them.

Around me here in France, American-style testimonials produce the opposite effect.  Instead of building trust, they often create barriers of mistrust.  People ask why someone would say that; put their name there, and their photo.  Why does the company need to do this?  How much did they pay to have these testimonials?

Thank you Cindy for giving us the opportunity to learn more about you and your company.  Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper PersonalTrainerU.com, an awesome company that teaches personal trainers the business of fitness:

We asked Personal Trainer University what the inspiration was behind their company, this is what they had to say:

After being in the fitness industry for several years we noticed that, just like many other professions, personal trainers were missing one big thing – business coaching. There was so much information available on training but very little on how to run a fitness business. With so many trainers working 40-60 hours a week yet barely making enough to pay their bills we knew that we could help.

When asked what achievement they were most proud of, Personal Trainer University said:

I wouldn’t say there was one thing we are most proud of. Getting to work with hundreds of personal trainers everyday and turning their businesses around makes us very proud. We have had several people who were literally on the verge of closing the doors flip things around in less than a month.

We asked Personal Trainer University why Internet marketing is so important for their company, this is what they had to say:

With more and more people logging into the Internet daily searching for information we know the importance of Internet marketing.

It also allows us to reach out to a bigger audience, as personal trainers from all over the world who are searching fitness business help will be able to find us.

We gave Personal Trainer University a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what they said:

Work 5% harder than your competition.

Don’t sit back and expect your business to just grow as if you allow your competition to out work you then more than likely you will end up closing your doors.

We have seen small private fitness facilities dominate there local areas over the big chain franchises due to them putting in more effort. You too can do the same.

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday Spotlight!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper SMP Advance Funding:

We asked SMP Advance what the inspiration was behind their company, this is what they had to say:

As attorneys my partner and I saw firsthand the financial difficulty many people experienced as a result of a significant personal injury or work injuries.   Oftentimes, they would be unable to work for a period of time or unable to pay their growing medical bills as a result of their injuries.   Some faced eviction or were about to lose their house because they could not make their mortgage payments.  Obviously, these scenarios have worsened given our present economy.  It became obvious that from a financial perspective, many could not afford to wait until their pending personal injury or workers’ compensation claim settled and many had poor credit and lacked the ability to obtain any type of short term financing.   We therefore had formed our company to help provide interim funding for those that had viable pending lawsuits and were in need of quick financial relief.   Essentially our company provides cash advances against  a small portion of the overall value of a person’s claim.  The advance is paid back at the time the case resolves (settlement or judgment).    The potential value of the claim is what is important and therefore poor credit and employment status are of no concern.   For those who have chosen to use our services, they have not only been able to obtain necessary and immediate funding, but in many cases allowed their attorneys the time to achieve full resolution of their claim without the financial pressures to settle for short or less money than what their case is actually worth.

When asked what achievement they were most proud of, SMP Advance said:

We are most proud of our growth rate combined with providing a much needed service to our clients.  Since our company inception in late 2005, our annual growth rate, using cases funded as a basis, has grown by almost 100% per year.  We are obviously very pleased to increase our revenue but also very happy we can do it while providing a positive experience for our clients.  We often hear our clients tell us how much they appreciate everything we do.  We treat each client with dignity and respect.  Additionally, we never judge our clients for needing funds.  Our rates are reasonable considering the risk and in fact we have some of the lowest rates in the industry.  We don’t try to gouge clients like some companies or treat them disrespectfully.  We truly believe that in addition to having the best rates in the industry, we also have the best customer service.  This doesn’t just come from us but from the feedback we receive from clients who have also dealt with our local and national competitors.  We may not be the biggest funding company out there, but we do believe we are the best.

We asked SMP Advance why Internet marketing is so important for their company, this is what they had to say:

Internet marketing is important because it allows us to reach a large audience.  Moreover, it allows us to target certain markets that would otherwise be much more challenging or difficult to reach.  Many people are unaware of the pre-settlement funding industry, and internet marketing not only provides a mechanism for reaching out to these people but also allows us to educate them and provide them financial options that they otherwise would not know they have.

We gave SMP Advance a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what they said:

We like to try to think outside of the box as much as possible when it comes to marketing.   While we certainly engage in the standard mediums of advertising, there are always a multiple of other ways to reach your potential clientele and we try to find as many of them as we can.  My advice is to not stay content with what you are doing even if it appears to be working.  Instead, keep challenging yourself and always strive to try a different approach.

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper The Jazz Cat:

We asked The Jazz Cat what the inspiration was behind their company, this is what they had to say:

I have loved jazz and created artwork related to Jazz music for the last 12 years. Jazz has been very very good to me and I want to return the favor to Jazz and get more people excited about the history of this American Art Form!

When asked what achievement they were most proud of, The Jazz Cat said:

I created the cover artwork for 15 Jazz  cd covers for a European jazz music label last year!

We asked The Jazz Cat why Internet marketing is so important for their company, this is what they had to say:

It is the best way for me to reach a global audience and much cheaper than direct mail.

We gaveThe Jazz Cat a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what they said:

“Play” with all the newest internet technologies so you do not become afraid of it.

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper MonoMachines:

We asked Mono Machines what the inspiration was behind their company, this is what they had to say:

Back in early 2006 while in grad school, I was tasked with the job of purchasing a shredder for a small office.  As I searched the web for potential products I quickly and painfully became aware of the web un-friendliness that came along with an old, brick-and-mortar industry.  I had no idea what I was looking for and a flat 2×3 image of a machine that looked like it came straight from That 70’s Show neither appealed to me nor gave me any tangible grasp (or remote hint for that matter) of the capabilities of the machine.  It was like trying to buy a new car without getting to take it for a test drive or even kick the tires.  I wanted to see multiple photos of the machines.  I wanted to see the machine in action.  I wanted to hear what it sounds like to shred a piece of paper into 3/8″ x 1/16″.  Aside from a few poorly lit, dialogue-heavy, machine-centric 10-minute videos, I was left to purchasing a machine with very limited information and I ultimately made a bad decision.  Mono Machines was formed not too long after this moment with the drive to provide the customer with as much pertinent information as humanly possible along with an actual live human being that had previously used the machine.

When asked what achievement they were most proud of, Mono Machines said:

We are proud to say that we have made a commitment to provide video “tours”, “introductions”, and reviews for EVERY product that we sell.  2008 marked the first round of manufacturer videos and 2009 is slated for hundreds more.  We travel throughout the US to manufacturer locations and produce product videos.  If you’d like to see what our videos look like, you can check out the link and then click on the “product video” tab located above the product image.

We asked Mono Machines why Internet marketing is so important for their company, this is what they had to say:

Internet Marketing is not important FOR our business, it IS our business.  As a newcomer to an old game, we have to rely on our net visibility to sell products.  With Walmart down the road and Staples importing cheap knock-offs from China, we must find new and interesting ways to get in front of our potential customers and provide them with a service that they cannot find elsewhere.

We gave Mono Machines a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what they said:

Although this is nothing new and most likely why most of you are on LotusJump, I’d say to harness the power of the authorities within your industry.  We all know that Google has turned into a popularity contest and I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you, but Yahoo Answers, Slate.com and LinkedIn are more popular than you are.  Although blogging may seem like what everyone is doing, spend those precious hours spreading your expertise across the web to sources that will actually be seen rather than laboring away at crafting the perfect blog post for your site that receives 1/10,000 of the exposure of the “expert” site

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper GPS Specials:

We asked GPS Specials what the inspiration was behind their company, this is what they had to say:

My children are my true inspiration.  I started marketing online when my daughter was just 2 years old so I could be a stay at home mom.  I now have 2 children, Jess 19 and Derek 15. Living in a small town, the internet opened up the world to me, literally.   I have been marketing electronics since 2005 because of my love of technology and gadgets.

When asked what achievement they were most proud of, GPS Specials said:

Doing over one million in Revenue my very first year selling electronics!  It is all about networking , advertising and marketing.

We asked GPS Specials why Internet marketing is so important for their company, this is what they had to say:

I  market both online and offline.  My motto is “Without advertising it is like winking at someone in the dark – no one will ever know!”  To be effective one must be found and seen!  Most people say “I can’t afford to advertise”… That makes me crazy as you truly can’t afford NOT to advertise if you seriously want to grow your business!  I do not see a benefit of winking at anyone in the dark!!

We gave GPS Specials a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what they said:

Your URL should be simple – 2 words at most so it is easy to remember.  If you have a long name you can redirect another url just for advertisng.  I have done just that.  My url is GpsSpecials.com – it is only 2 words but most people do not spell specials correctly so I came up with GPSLady.com which points to the same website.    You should also add that easy to remember URL to your vehicle, stationary, email signature line, your clothing, jackets etc….  I sponsor certain events and always use my URL rather than just the name so when it is added in print or my name is called out I get that free advertising to my site.

Also Twitter, Yelp, Myspace and facebook are great places to social network.  I can be found on all under my name Jude Hodge as well as my business name.  Thank  you for asking I love marketing that is why I love Lotus Jump that helps be become better at it!

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper Sports Car Digest:

We asked Sports Car Digest what the inspiration was behind their company, this is what they had to say:

As a life-long vintage car enthusiast, I spent way too much time on the web going from site to site to get all the information I wanted. It occurred to me that one site that does it all could be a good idea, so I created Sports Car Digest to fill that need. Of course, I now spend even more time on the web, but at least I am building my own business and following my passion.

When asked what achievement they were most proud of, Sports Car Digest said:

It may sound silly, but seeing people link and talk about a story we wrote is very satisfying. Meeting our subscribers is also very rewarding as well.

We asked Sports Car Digest why Internet marketing is so important for their company, this is what they had to say:

As an internet-only company, internet marketing is everything to us. Nearly three out of four visitors to our site come from search engines or referring sites, so continuing to build that base is vital for our growth. And that is where LotusJump comes into play, as its simple format gives us the power and the freedom to market as we see fit and when we see fit.

We gave Sports Car Digest a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what they said:

We are still trying to figure out Twitter, but so far it seems to be a very effective (and fun) marketing tool.

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper Brooke Burton and her blog Food Woolf, Brooke is a food writer, blogger, and restaurant insider from L.A.:

We asked Brooke what the inspiration was behind her blog, this is what she had to say:

A food focused honeymoon in Italy made me realize that despite spending my adult life working in restaurants to pay my bills while working as a freelance writer (radio journalist/screenwriter) I had never once wrote about my love of food. Upon returning to my home in Los Angeles, I began my food blog, Food Woolf. In my blog, I write about life (in the kitchen, in restaurants, in the world) from a culinary insider’s perspective.

When asked what achievement she was most proud of, Brooke said:

My blog has become an incredible platform for my food writing career. Freelance writing and in-house marketing/copy writing assignments have resulted from people reading and enjoying my blog. I am currently in the process of shopping a culinary guide I wrote (with my writing partner Leah Greenstein of SpicySaltySweet) to publishers. In addition, Food Woolf has brought me incredible friends within the food blogging community and has fulfilled my dream to get paid for writing what I love.

We asked Brooke why Internet marketing is so important for her blog, this is what she had to say:

As a writer, I’m perfectly happy to write all day and never have anyone see the end result. Writing in a cave, however, isn’t the smartest business plan for someone that hopes to make a living as an artist. Creating a valid internet marketing campaign has brought me a bigger audience and has encouraged me to be fearless about my work.

We gave Brooke a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what she said:

Invest in yourself. After a year of using a point and shoot camera, I am finally purchasing a Digital SLR to improve the quality of the food photography of my site. I am also investing in a redesign of my website with Delicious Design (to be completed by the end of the month!).

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper Knoxville Quality Inn, “your home away from home in Knoxville, Tennessee”.

We asked Knoxville Quality Inn what the inspiration was behind their company, this is what they had to say:

I first wanted to own the first hotel I managed in 1976.  A customer dared me to go into the owner’s office and offer to buy the hotel for $1 (down).  I never did it, but never forgot it.  In 2000 after consulting with 250 Holiday Inn hotels, I went to one hotel owner and asked the question.  He said, “Yes.”

When asked what achievement they were most proud of, Knoxville Quality Inn said:

We started with no capitalization on May 1, 2001.  The Lord has provided the increase since.  It took 18 months to buy that first hotel.  Since then we have purchased 3 other hotels.  Our finest achievement was to buy 4 contiguous lots, tear down 3 houses and build a beautiful new 102 room Hampton Inn & Suites on 2.5 acres, a $12 million project.

We asked Knoxville Quality Inn why Internet marketing is so important for their company, this is what they had to say:

Internet hotel bookings continue to rise.  Toll free reservations centers are closing all over the world.  The internet is still the new frontier in hotel marketing and sales.

We gave Knoxville Quality Inn a chance to give a “Creative Marketing Tip of the Day”, this is what they said:

Try Twitter!

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!

Today we’re spotlighting the LotusJumper Align.org, a certified advanced rolfer. (FYI: Rolfing releases the varied forms of chronic stress, and its negative effects on your body, by restoring order to the structure of your body.)

Inspiration behind Align.org:

I first went through the process of Rolfing in 1977. After that I had to learn it, so I did. As they say, the rest is history.

Achievement Align.org is most proud of:

We continue to lead our field. We did the first research on Rolfing and sports, we had the first Rolfing/medical clinic in the county, and we are number one on Google for Rolfing – thanks in part to LotusJump.

Why Internet marketing is important for Align.org:

We get clients beyond our local community.

Align.org’s Creative Marketing Tip of the Day:

Back up your marketing with good service because ultimately the best marketing is our clients.

Leave a comment if you think you’re worthy of a Friday spotlight, and tell us why!