Hello Online Marketers! This week's featured interview is with Meryl Evans. Meryl and I had great interaction on this interview. She made it really fun! Meryl is multi-talented: she's a business writer, blogging expert and more. Read on to find out more....

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KB: Meryl, thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview for our readers.

To set the stage for this interview, would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

ME: I'm a proud native Texan living in Plano with Paul, my husband, and our daughter and two sons ages 11, 6, and 20 months. Though I've only lived in Texas and Washington, DC, I'm a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team thanks to my dad's influence. He grew up in Brooklyn and still has family around New York.

KB: Are they the Brooklyn Dodgers again Meryl? Tells you how much I keep up with baseball these days. My hubby is a bonafide NY Yankee fan! Big age range in your children, you are an amazing woman Meryl!

Okay, give us your elevator speech, or 30-second spiel, about what you do, about your business:

ME: lol – no, the Dodgers are still in L.A. I’m the youngest of three with my nearest sibling being 10 years older so it was natural for me to spread out the kids.

Alrighty Kim, my little speech: I do anything and everything content. My writing style is flexible based on my clients' "business personality." However, it's important to consider what's in it for their customers. With me, you get the work on time, the typical Texas-friendly personality, dependable correspondence, and honesty.

KB: How long have you been in business for yourself?

ME: 5 years.

KB: And that’s long enough to know you’re doing what you love, isn’t it?

Why or what was the determining factor for you in starting your own business?

ME: Flexibility — I want to enjoy my family before they leave the nest. 20 years from now, I want to say, "I am proud of the time I spent with my family" instead of, "Why didn't I spend more time with my family?" Plus, as a person with a profound hearing loss, I find the work less stressful than corporate world in terms of communication.

KB: See, and yet you have turned your “challenge” into a strength Meryl. You’re very good at what you do. It’s also very important (at least we both think so) to be there for your children while they’re growing up. You have the best of both worlds.

What, in your experience, has been the greatest benefit in running and owning your own business? What do you like best about your business?

ME: I can do the work anytime, anyplace. I've also met people that I would've never met without doing this work.

KB: That’s one of the great advantages to having an online business isn’t it Meryl? Running a business takes a certain “mindset” so tell us what is the most difficult or challenging part of having and running your own business:

ME: Accounting and phone calls.

KB: He, he – I don’t have too much trouble with the accounting but phone calls, well I am not always great at that either!

Who is your primary target audience? How do you attract them?

ME: Want to take over my books Kim. J Because every business needs content, my target is broad. It is a good thing and a bad thing. However, my focus is content related to technology, Web sites, online marketing, and writing. I attract them through newsletters, columns, blogs, Web site, word of mouth, and networking.

KB: Well, I’m okay with my own books, but with others – yikes! Wow, Meryl -not only are all your marketing strategies great, but that you can do all those things: write, technology and marketing!

Can you share with our readers what you are currently doing to promote your business?

ME: I do most of my promotion online per my response to the previous question. However, I've placed ads with organizations to which I belong in my community. Those rarely produce leads, but it's a nice way to help the organization.

KB: What a nice thing to do too Meryl. I know you said that you mostly work online but do you do any offline work?

ME: Yes, I do.

KB: What is your best source of customers, prospects and/or clients?

ME: Networking. That’s how you and I met Kim. Thank you IVWCC.

KB: I’m inclined to agree with you there Meryl – on both counts: IVWCC and networking! Since we’re are having this interview on the International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce channel, we know you are a member of this organization but are you a member of any other professional organizations?

ME: Ryze. I believe just about every IVWCCer is on there, too.

KB: He, he, yes we are aren’t we? In fact, you’re one of my Ryze friends! Online networking groups are rising in number so are you a member of any other online networking groups?

ME: Yes we are Kim! Like most members, I am most active with Ryze and IVWCC. I have accounts with LinkedIn and a couple of others, but haven't used them.

KB: That’s funny Meryl because I’m the same way. I’m also primarily active on Ryze and in IVWCC – I guess they just suite us. On average, how often do you visit those networks?

ME: Ryze goes in spurts. Sometimes I'll visit it every day when something interesting pops up. Other times, I don't visit for a while as I get busy with other things.

KB: Oh yeah, we’re a LOT alike! Moving onto a very vital subject in online business, on average, how many email messages do you receive every day?

ME: With multiple accounts, that's a toughie! Rough guesstimate – about 300.

KB: Wow, that is a lot! About how many of those emails are actually email you either requested, from clients, or pertinent information?

ME: Maybe 25 percent. Sad, eh?

KB: Sad indeed but the bain of our online existence these days. What is your number one complaint, if any, about email? ...and how do you think it could be resolved?

ME: Is there any question? Spam. It's an almost impossible problem to solve.

KB: Oh, you have me laughing now. I agree totally! Do you publish a newsletter / ezine?

ME: Yes, indeedy. eNewsletter Journal is about…<drum roll> newsletters! It provides tips and articles about using newsletters to manage your relationships with your customers.

Shavlik's The Remediator Security Digest covers tech security, patching, and social engineering (teaching users about protecting the company's assets).

Both are monthly. Then, I have an informal meryl.net newsletter that comes out every month or other month.

KB: Those sound very in depth and very useful Meryl. How about generating new subscribers? How do you do that or is that even a consideration in your type of newsletter?

ME: I include links to the newsletters in my sig file, I encourage subscribers to forward the newsletter to a friend in exchange for a complimentary eReport, and I share this offer with others during their marketing efforts.

KB: Great idea Meryl. Do you subscribe to any newsletters?

ME: Too many! Most are emails. A few send an email to go read it online as they do not deliver the newsletter to the email account. I have some listed in RSS, but I read email more than RSS.

KB: Are you familiar with RSS?

ME: Yeppers.

KB: Yes you are indeed – very if I might add! Do you use RSS in any way for your business and/or personal purposes - I know your answer here but want you to break it down for our readers so tell us about that.

ME: My blogs are all available through RSS. A couple of Web sites and newsletters are also available through RSS. Some people won't read anything unless it comes in RSS, so it ensures I have all the bases covered.

I also use RSS when I need to find articles on specific topics. My reader has folders and each represents a category. So if I need news on IT security, I go to the technology folder and download the latest news. It's great because I don't have to

shlep from Web site to Web site when all the resources come into one spot. It gets dizzying (literally) when I do research through a Web browser instead of RSS.

KB: Your words are music to my ears! That’s what I’m talking about Meryl. This keeps our research fast and easy to do rather than tedious. Do you read or subscribe to any RSS feeds/blogs?

ME: Is there any question? Lol

KB: He, he – really! There are so many ways to promote ourselves online and off, and one of the most touted and apparently great ways to do so online is to write articles. You mentioned previously that you write articles for use on the internet right? So, describe just some of your typical subjects and how you promote and distribute it?

ME: Am always writing something. I've contributed articles to other newsletters and included my byline, which is another way to promote my business / newsletter. I post articles on my site. Topics most covered are technology, Web design, online marketing, and writing.

KB: I’ve read some of your articles on RSS Meryl and they are very astute and well written. Have you ever submitted a press release?

ME: Thanks Kim. You’re very knowledgeable in RSS too, and a great educator on the technology. As for PR, I’ve submitted them. I am the PR volunteer for my kids' school. Not much has come of it. I've written creative releases, short ones, followed advice… it's a tough biz.

KB: Yes it is but you just never know when that ONE will be THE one! What is the most creative thing you have done to attract customers?

ME: A popular author was giving freebies to people who buy his latest book. I offered an eReport as a freebie in exchange for signing up for the newsletter. The number of subscribers soared thanks to that effort.

KB: What a great joint venture idea Meryl! If there was one thing you wish you had (other than time!) to help you grow your business, what would it be?

ME: To create an affiliate-type Web site to generate passive income.

KB: Oh, I bet you’ll be doing that in no time! If you could offer a word of advice to someone wishing to start a business in your field, what would you tell them?

ME: Build a portfolio by publishing articles in non-profit organizations' zines, newsletters and Web sites for free.

KB: Excellent advice Meryl.

Thank you again for taking the time to participate in this interview.

ME: My pleasure, Kim!

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End interview with Meryl Evans

Meryl
http://www.meryl.net/blog/
http://www.internetviz-newsletters.com/internetviz/ @ newsletters