March 09, 2008
Web Traffic Is Not Created Equal
Everyone who has a website wants more traffic. However, not all traffic is created equal. Many people get so caught up with driving traffic to their website they forget to check whether it is working towards the actual goal of the website.
Different websites have different goals. One may be to build a brand, another may be to sell a product while yet another may be to build a list from leads. No matter what the goal, tracking should be done to see whether the traffic generated from various sources is actually helping to achieve that goal.
In some cases, it is easy to see the difference between various traffic sources. For example, it is usually much cheaper to buy Pay Per Click (PPC) ads for a content network than for a search network. On a content network, ads appear on related web sites while on a search network they appear as the result of a user keying in specific search terms.
People who click on ads on the content network tend to be browsing the Internet for information. In most cases, they expect to get this information for free. On the other hand, those searching for key terms, especially product names, are more likely to be looking to buy. Because of this, conversion rates are typically much higher on the search network. This leads to more demand which, in turn, leads to higher prices for these ads.
Unfortunately, paying for advertising can eat into profits. In some cases campaigns that are generating a good volume of sales can be rendered unprofitable due to the costs of advertising. However, organic traffic, which comes from unpaid listing on search engines, is free and targeted. The difficulty arises in generating sufficient volumes of traffic. To do this requires being on the front pages of the major search engines for popular terms. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of trying to rank highly for competitive keywords. Unfortunately, many SEO techniques take considerable time to put into place and to affect search engine rankings.
One technique to overcome this problem is to aim for 'low-hanging fruit'. That is, keywords that have less competition. While these generate lower traffic, it is possible to build up considerable amounts of traffic by building up a portfolio of less popular keywords.
Other good forms of generating free targeted traffic include article marketing, email marketing and utilizing joint venture partnerships. The main thing is to avoid traffic generation strategies that cost money, but don't result in conversions.
Posted by billenross at 08:02 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2006
Seminars - The Real Deal
Do you want to know the quickest way to fast-track your way to success? Do you want to shorten your learning curve by years? The answer is simple. Attend a seminar.
Seminars provide the opportunity to learn from the best. Those who put on a seminar are there for a reason, they are very good at what they do. They offer their expertise willingly to anyone wishing to listen to it, for a price of course.
Let's look at four solid reasons why seminars pack the most punch for your learning dollar.
1. You will learn more in a day than you will in a month. Seminars are designed to give you the maximum amount of information into a predetermined period of time. Seminars can range from a couple of hours to a full week retreat.
2. As mentioned before, you get to learn from the best. You get to sit in the same room with an expert and listen to them share their wisdom and knowledge. It's a shame that many people cannot see the opportunity in this. An expert knows what information to provide to achieve maximum results in the least amount of time.
3. You are right there in the room with no outside distractions. No phones, no television, no kids yelling. We learn best from direct experiences. What better way is there to absorb information quickly than being a part of the action? Why do people go to the movies? Maybe it’s because they want to watch the movie in a room without any outside distractions. A movie theater provides them the environment to focus and absorb what is being presented to them.
4. Seminars provide tools of the trade. It may be a workbook or a physical product like a software CD. It may be included in the cost of the seminar or it may be offered for sale after the conclusion. Many people underestimate the value of these tools. These products were designed to help you continue and re-enforce what you have learned from the seminar. Why spend the money to attend if you are not planning to put the information learned to good use? If the seminar provided value to you it should be a sure bet that the book, workbook, audio or video series should also have value.
Take the time to attend at least one seminar this year. Whether you are looking to improve your life, make more money, plan for your retirement or even learning how to tie fishing flies. Someone is out there willing to help you achieve your goals with the tools in hand to get you there as quickly as possible.
Bill Enross
Posted by billenross at 03:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2006
How to Write an Effective Newsletter
Printed newsletters are a really easy way to contact your prospective and current customers. They can even increase your sales while reducing advertising costs. Research shows newsletters get four times the readership of adverts or brochures, and customers are seven times more likely to buy from you than an average member of the public. A good newsletter can improve name recognition and brand awareness, establish your authority in your field, and differentiate your business from the competition.
Make the layout of your newsletter inviting. If it looks too packed with information it may seem hard work to read. Break up the copy with plenty of space and keep articles short. Use intriguing titles or ones that suggest the article provides quick and easy shortcuts. Also use photographs or cartoons on the cover to draw people's attention.
Choose your articles carefully so that each one promotes the correct image of your business. Decide whether the article is to reflect your expertise, customer care or some other aspect of your business. If you are not sure which areas are important and of interest to your customers slip a survey into your newsletter.
You should start the article writing process by deciding what specific results you want from the article. It may be to introduce a new product or service, or to counteract what a competitor is claiming, or to highlight why a customer might be interested in a special offer you have.
A good newsletter will have a longer shelf life than adverts and are more likely to be passed around to prospective customers. Get a balance between generic articles that would be of interest to your wider client base and those specifically about your products and services. Do not waste effort and space producing articles that are unrelated to your field. Also check that the views expressed in articles are unlikely to offend your customer base.
Try to keep copy simple and as jargon free as possible. Use short sentences. Involve the reader by asking questions. How could your business benefit from this advice?
A profile of a customer can show how your product or service is used, the results that it can produce, why someone would purchase from you, and what they are planning to do in the future with your assistance. If they are prestigious clients the article will give a positive reflection of your business as well as providing them with some useful and free PR.
Generate new leads by offering a free subscription to your newsletter on your business's marketing materials. Emphasize the news content and useful advice, and how it could benefit your prospective customer. Only a few of those who sign up for the newsletter will be time wasters. It is possible that as many as 80% could be converted to customers within six months. Without the constant contact that the newsletter offers they could drift into the arms of a competitor.
Bill Enross
Posted by billenross at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)
April 25, 2006
The Secret of Doing Without Doing
Of all the self help books, tapes, and CD's I've purchased in my lifetime, there has only been one that had a profound effect on both my personal life (how I feel on the inside), and my finances (which sometimes has a very big effect on how I feel on the inside!).
Dr. Robert Anthony's 6 week audio course changed my life for the better, and it did it quickly. Here is an excerpt; it will give you a small, but clear peek into the mind of an amazing human being.
One of the mistaken certainties or misconceptions most people operate under is that you get what you want in life by what you DO, or through the actions you take. Most people believe that the DOING or action part is what makes things happen. However, this causes you to create in reverse.
Let me explain. The reason we put a lot of emphasis on action is because we do not understand the power of our thought.
If you analyze it, 90% of most people's actions are spent trying to compensate for inappropriate thought. The Chinese philosopher Lao-tsu said that, "In the practice of the Way, every day something is dropped. Less and less do you need to force things until finally you arrive at *non action* When nothing is done, nothing is left undone".
What he is talking about is *doing without doing* The problem is that most of us are preoccupied with "doing". Unfortunately most of our doing usually involves struggle. In the western world we are conditioned to be action oriented, so we place a tremendous value on doing. We are so busy doing that we do not realize that all this "doingness" causes us to create in a reverse fashion.
Most of our actions are out of fear, worry or doubt because we believe nothing will get done unless we DO something.
In other words, we are trying to force our desire into manifestation through action. If your decision to DO is dominant, then you will not focus on what you want to BE in the present moment. This causes you to miscreate because BEING is the first and most important step in the creative process.
Here is the secret. It is not your action that makes things happen, it is your intent. You can reduce the need for action to a very minimum by allowing yourself to focus on what you desire until you feel the positive energy begin to move within you. This energy is not based on doubt, fear, anxiety, worry or need. If you focus on what you want instead of what you don't want, you will know when it is time to take action. And when you do, it will be effortless. Doors open and the entire universe will conspire to assist you in your desire.
Put simply, you should take no action on anything until you have visualized your desire and made it real enough in your mind that your next action (step), whatever it is, seems like the most logical step. How can you know the next logical step? Here is the test that you can give to yourself before taking any action. If you focus on what you desire and still feel overwhelmed or anxious, then you are not ready for any action. You know you are ready when it feels like the next logical step is effortless. There is no effort, no strain, and no pain. What we want to do is to use the leverage of energy, the same leverage of energy that creates everything in the universe.
However, we are so caught up in the reality of WHAT IS, that we feel we must create everything through mental effort and physical activity. Have you ever seen people who seem to have all the wonderful things in their life without much effort? It almost seems like they have an advantage over everyone else. Then you see the people who work the hardest usually have the least. That doesn't seem fair does it? But that's the way the universe works.
Unfortunately, those who work the hardest usually have the least because they haven't learned the leverage of aligning their energy. They are going about creating their lives the hard way. They are trying to use their actions to create what they want. We have also been programmed that in order to have what we desire we must work hard. How many times have you heard - "No pain, no gain." The implication is that if you want to make something of yourself, you must work hard. The message is clear - if you are not hurting or struggling, you are not moving forward.
But here is the truth - anytime you are struggling you are miscreating. Anytime you feel pain or struggle, your magnetic point of attraction is directed to that which you do not want, rather than to that which you desire. Read it again! Actions are necessary, but they are the last component of the creation processes. Actions cannot be used effectively to initiate results, because initiation is the function of BEING, then thought, then action.
Remember, the creation of anything is through your vibration. Everything vibrates, and it is by that vibration that we harmonize and attract experiences to ourselves. So before you act or do anything, first ask yourself, how am I vibrating? How do you tell?
You tell by how you FEEL. Your feelings show you your vibration. How you feel determines what you attract. When you use the process of creating by only focusing on what you want instead of what you don't want, you will see that the universe will provide a different set of circumstances for you that requires much less action. This puts you in a state of "doing without doing" or action without effort.
Copyright © 2004-2006 Dr. Robert Anthony. All Rights Reserved.
Dr. Robert Anthony - Know How To Be Rich
Bill Enross
Posted by billenross at 09:26 PM | Comments (0)
April 05, 2006
Networking Your Way to Online Success
Forums, groups, boards, and loops; they’re all synonymous for online locations facilitating online networking. Some are entirely public, where everyone and anyone can click to the URL, read the messages and if they have no interest in contributing, they can just lurk. Some require active participation and others require registration before members can participate. These online forums, groups, boards or loops are different from paid membership sites in that there is no cost to network at these websites.
Some are active, some are sleepy. Some are strictly for business related topics; some allow more OT (Off Topics) and social interaction. There are forums for every imaginable topic: Entrepreneurs, International business, Health related fields, Technology, Copywriters, Web Designers, Work at Home Moms, Programmers, Finance, Ebay, Job Seekers, Internet Marketing, Writers, Inventors and Virtual Assistants, just to barely scratch the surface of what’s out there on the World Wide Web.
Time management skills need to be paramount when participating in online forums. You can very easily get swallowed up and spend hours and hours online networking with others who have online businesses, yet you miss real opportunities to get some productive work done!
From a business standpoint, there are two areas you should consider before participating in a loop. It’s always good to have a network of like-minded business people. If you’re a web designer, hang out with other designers. You can help and support each other. If you’re just starting out, you can learn from the pros.
Don’t get stuck though, just hanging out with your own kind. You’re not going to be very successful trying to promote your design services to other designers. This is where balance comes in. Pop into the boards, check new posts of interest, ask or answer questions, then get out. Then move onto groups who need your services or products. Who is your target market and where do they hang out? Go there. Word of caution: Do not go to these forums with the sole purpose of SPAMMING the group. You’ll be tossed out on your ear quicker than you can blink if that is your sole purpose. People like to do business with people they know and trust – or at the very minimum have at least heard of.
If you’re trying to sell your curriculum to a group of home school parents and you just pop in, spew your sales rap all over the boards then expect any sort of return, you’re missing the point of online networking. It’s networking – not advertising. You need to build a rapport with your other “loopies”. Then if a need arises and they know one of their own fellow networkers has that special skill or product, guess who they’ll call first? You hope it’s YOU.
For starters check MSN, Google, Yahoo, AOL, and Ryze. Inside there are literally hundreds and thousands of groups just waiting for you. Start networking your way to success today!
Posted by billenross at 09:01 AM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2006
How Running an Event Can Increase Your Income
Why on earth would you want to run an event for your business? Events take a lot of organizing and publicity, not to mention the time you might not have and, depending on what you want to do, they can also cost quite a bit of money.
So is it really worth all that effort?
In a word, yes!
An event is a fantastic way to get a whole lot of your clients and potential clients together so you can present to them all at once, saving you huge amounts of time and effort trying to reach them all individually – and even better, as the speaker, you come across as an expert in your field. Give your clients valuable information and they will talk about you and recommend you to others. Having an event is also a great way to encourage your clients to network with each other and see how they can help each other – and of course, it’s you they’ll thank for that opportunity.
Having your name on an event can be very good publicity for you and your business. If you pick a hot topic for your industry you could find yourself interviewed by the local press, on the radio, or even on television, all of which increase your chances of being seen as an expert by potential clients.
You may even make money directly from your event – either by charging admission, finding sponsorship or by having products to sell at the event. Regular events could produce a nice stream of new income.
You could generate yet another income stream just from one event by creating one or more products – you could video it, record it, transcribe it, turn the learning materials into an ebook or online course and sell it - the possibilities are endless.
So once you've decided to go ahead - how do you pick a good topic? You'll need to look at what your industry is discussing right now and what they really want to know. There are lots of ways to find this out:
- Run an online survey - www.surveymonkey.com has a free option you can use to create some very useful surveys
- Ring several trusted clients and find out what they’d like to learn more about
- Go to online forums on your subject and see what everyone is talking about
- Post on online forums and ask people what they might be interested in
- Look at the bestsellers on Amazon, Barns & Noble and Clickbank
- Look at the most popular keywords using a word tracker tool
- Go to your trade association and ask what their members are interested in
- Look at competitor’s ezines and see what they are discussing at the moment.
Once you have your topic you’ll need to pick a date and an event format. What kind of event should you offer? Look at where your potential clients are based:
- If most people are in a particular area of the country, you should consider having a face to face meeting – this is always the best option if possible as you have much more chance to impress and to deal on the spot with any objections and questions, as well as providing that all important networking opportunity for your clients.
If your clients are scattered across the country or even across the world, you’ll need to look at running a teleclass or web based event:
- With a web based event using a facility such as www.hotconference.com, you have the option of using the whiteboard, showing a PowerPoint presentation, directing people to view a website and seeing the attendees online via webcam – this is a great way to give a presentation but make sure you are practiced at using all the features of the software first and consider whether your clients are technically-minded enough to be comfortable with this, and likely to have equipment such as webcams and microphones.
- If this is your first time running an event, the easiest option is to run a teleclass, where you set a date and time and participants simply dial in and listen to you. Many companies, such as www.freeconference.com, offer this service and a quick Google search should bring up a long list of companies you could use.
If you choose a live event you’ll need to find a good venue. Look at cost, position - find somewhere central with good transport links and parking. Make sure you see the room you’ll be using before the event so you can see the space you have available and plan your layout. Check maximum numbers the room can hold for fire regulations, find out where the fire exits and fire alarm are and make sure there is disabled access.
You’ll need to market your event very well to get good numbers:
- Use your own ezine, local press and radio, the chamber of commerce and online forums.
- Write articles on your subject and submit them to article directories and other ezines.
- Tell your trade association and use online event listings.
- Go to networking events and take leaflets with you to advertise what you are doing.
- Ask each client to bring one potential client to get a free place
- Offer to speak at other events on the run up to yours with a taster of what people will get on the day.
- Find another non-competing company who are aiming for the same market and do a joint event
Don’t just rely on one way to get publicity – think of as many different ways as you can and use the best ones for your event.
You'll need to be very organized and plan well ahead. Make sure you order any equipment you might need in plenty of time. Make up an event checklist and build yourself a kit with plenty of spares - pens, training materials, extension cables, flip chart paper, gaffer tape, scissors, etc. Check with the venue that everything’s ready for you the day before the event.
The more value you provide, the more likely you are to be seen as an expert in your area and the more business you will get from your event and from word of mouth after the event as a result, so don’t deliver a sales pitch – your content has to be high quality, entertaining and informative or people will feel cheated, particularly if they paid to attend.
Once the event is over make sure you follow up and ask for feedback – it’s the best way to find out if the event was what your clients wanted, to get ideas for future events, and also a great to chance to chat to prospective clients to see if they’re interested in working with you. You can also collect testimonials which will help you if you plan to run events on a regular basis, and which you can also use to promote any products you develop from your event content.
In short, pick a great topic, plan everything carefully, publicize what you are doing as much as you can, and check everything is in place the day before the event. On the day, don’t forget to relax and enjoy yourself – if you are having fun, the audience will too. Lastly and by no means least, whatever you do, don’t forget to follow up.
Just by following these guidelines you could find yourself with any amount of new clients, lots of publicity and several new income streams.
Worth it? Definitely!
Posted by billenross at 05:37 PM | Comments (0)
March 19, 2006
How To Conduct A Market Analysis For Your Business
The term "market analysis" is often confusing to entrepreneurs, especially for people who focus on a specific niche or market segment.
In fact, many small business owners don't understand the process or complain that conducting a market analysis is too complicated or too expensive and wonder why or if it is necessary.
What is market analysis?
In the most basic terms, a market analysis is an assessment of:
- A particular problem or opportunity in a market.
- The needs of the target market relating to the problem or opportunity.
- Ideas for marketing a particular product or service that fills the needs of the target market.
When should you conduct a market analysis?
- When you are starting a business.
- When you are entering a new market.
- When you are considering a new product or service.
Why should you conduct a market analysis?
- To minimize business risks.
- To understand the problems and opportunities.
- To identify sales opportunities.
- To plan your marketing/sales approach.
The process of conducting a market analysis can be divided into three parts:
Part 1 - Understanding Market Conditions
This gives you basic information about your entire market -- the size, the competition, the customers.
Part 2 - Identifying Market Opportunities
This gives you more targeted information about potential problems or opportunities in the potential market, and includes information about growth, current and future trends, outside factors and more information about specific competitors.
Part 3 - Developing Market-Driven Strategies
Here is where we get into what market research does for you. It helps you to pinpoint opportunities to grow your business. By understanding the market and knowing what opportunities are available you can create a marketing strategy that leaves your competitors in the dust!
Here are 10 questions that can help you get started:
1. What is the market I want to reach?
- Who are they? (Basic Demographics)
- What is their biggest problem in relation to this market?
- Are their needs being met by the products or services provided in this market?
2. Who is my competition in this market?
- Are they successful in this market?
- Are they marketing a similar product or service?
- What is the market share of the three biggest competitors in this market?
3. Is there room for growth in this market?
4. What is the size of this market?
- Is there room for growth?
- Is the industry growing? Stable? Saturated? Volatile? Declining?
5. How is my product or service different from the competition?
6. How can I reach this market?
- How is my competition currently reaching this market?
- Is it the most effective way?
- What are the alternative ways of reaching this market?
7. What are the business models of my competition in this market?
- Are they effective?
- Is there a way to do it differently or better?
8. What do customers expect from this type of product or service?
- What are the core competencies of this product or service?
- What would make the product "new" "different" or "better" for the customer?
9. How much are customers willing to pay for this product or service?
10. What is our competitive advantage in this market?
Knowing the answers to these questions will not only help you figure out if there is a need for your product or service, it will help you figure out the best ways to reach your customers, price your products or service and ultimately make more sales!
Posted by billenross at 08:10 PM | Comments (0)
March 18, 2006
Press Release Secrets
Does the thought of trying to get publicity for your business seem like something that you can't do yourself, and would have to hire a professional for? Do you think that writing a press release is totally outside your ability to do? Does the thought of talking to the media about your business make your mouth go dry and your stomach clench? If so, take heart, because you're about to learn how you can take care of your own publicity, simply and easily.
Getting publicity for your business can seem like an impossible task -- something that only happens for "big" companies that can afford to hire publicists.
The reality is, getting free publicity for your business isn't that difficult. Welcome to "Media Training 101 -- The Secrets of Writing a Good Press Release". By the time you finish reading this article, you'll not only understand the basics, you'll know what goes into the process, and what you have to do to get started writing your own press release.
First of all, let's go over some basic terminology you need to be familiar with.
Press Release: A statement with useful and relevant information that is written for distribution to the media.
Hook: The information or larger story that you can use to attach your press release to. Using the right "hook" in the right way can help you to get more publicity for your business.
Spin: Telling your story your way.
The good news about learning to write a Press Release is that there is an established format that you need to follow. And once you've learned the basics, writing a press release is a kind of "cookie cutter" process. Here are some basic ideas to keep in mind:
Make your news "newsworthy". A press release is not a sales advertisement. A good press release answers all of the "W" questions (who, what, where, when and why), and sometimes "how." Your purpose in writing it is twofold: to provide the media with useful and relevant information about your organization, product, service or event and to get your name out to your target market.
Begin with a strong headline. Your headline and first paragraph need to grab the reader’s attention. Without being flowery or overly dramatic, you have only the first few seconds to grab your reader’s attention and get them to read your story, and decide if it’s worth running. So don’t blow it by being vague or weak. The rest of your press release can give them the nitty-gritty details.
Tailor your story to your Primary audience – the media. Your secondary audience is your target market, but if the media doesn't decide that your story is newsworthy and runs it, your potential customers will never know about it!
Pay attention to your writing. Sometimes, especially in rural areas and online, the media will run your press release in their publications with little or no modification, so make sure you’ve used your spelling and grammar check before sending it, and keep to the facts. Most of the time, journalists will use your press release as a stepping off place for a larger feature story, especially if you can show larger relevance to other current events. Always develop your story as you want to have it told – put YOUR spin on it. Even if your story is not reprinted verbatim, always remember what YOUR purpose is in writing it – to provide exposure for you, and to help brand you as an expert in your field.
Not everything is news. Just because you are excited that you made your first big sale, or started a new product line, or wrote your first article, doesn’t necessarily mean that the press are going to think you have a newsworthy story. From the time you start your first draft, keep your audience in mind. Who will find your story interesting? Why are they going to find it interesting? How is it relevant to something else that’s going on right now?
Identify a problem, and show how you’re solving it. Use real life examples about how your company or organization solved or is solving a problem. Give examples of how your service or product fulfills needs or satisfies desires. What benefits can be expected? Use real life examples to powerfully communicate the benefits of using your product or service.
Stick to the facts. Always. Tell. The. Truth. Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. It is part of a journalist’s job to be skeptical. If you want to use publicity effectively, then you're not looking for a one night stand. You want to gain the trust of the media, establish your credibility, and build an on-going relationship with your local media, so that you become a resource for them within your industry.
Find your “hook”. Try to make your press release timely. Keep informed about what’s going on in your community, in your state, region, the country or the world. Is there a local, regional or national news story that somehow ties in to your industry or your business? If you can hook your press release to current events or social issues, you increase your chances of having it picked up. If not, then make sure your story is relevant to the needs, wants or problems of your community or target audience.
Use an active, not passive, voice. Use strong verbs that will bring your press release to life. If there is controversy, describe it. There is an old adage in the news business: “If it cries it flies, and if it bleeds, it leads.” (Not very nice, but it’s often true.) So, while you may not be crying or bleeding, make what you’re writing about stand out. Use active verbs. Write “partnered” rather than "entered into a partnership" or “engaged” rather than “interested”, etc. Writing in this manner will help guarantee that your press release will be read.
Use only enough words to tell your story. Avoid using unnecessary adjectives, flowery language, or redundant expressions such as "added bonus" or "first time ever". Paint a strong, vivid picture in the minds of your audience by making each word count.
Use jargon sparingly. There are times that some jargon is required if your goal is to optimize your news release for online search engines, but whenever possible, speak plainly, using everyday language. Avoid words like "capacity planning techniques" and "extrapolate”.
Avoid hype. The exclamation point (!) is your enemy. You will destroy your credibility by using hype. If you must use an exclamation point, use one. Never do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get Permission. Most people and companies are very protective about their reputations. Be sure that you have written permission before including information or quotes from employees or affiliates of other companies or organizations. If there is a hint of a dispute in this area, chances are your press release will be tossed aside, and never used. And you will lose your credibility.
If you follow those simple rules, you'll be able to put together a newsworthy story that will help you achieve your goals of getting the word out about your business.
Posted by billenross at 08:41 PM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2006
Success - Why Action Achieves Results
Success in any entrepreneurial endeavor is contingent on a simple truth: Learning does not always require thinking.
Actually, thinking often hinders learning. Hinders learning? That flies in the face of most of what we know, doesn't it? As children we were often reproached when we made mistakes: "You just weren't thinking! Don't you ever think about what you're doing?"
Then there's the most successful personal development book of all time telling us to do what? ...That's right, "Think and Grow Rich". True it is a fantastic book and a must read for success minded people. But many of us get so tangled in thoughts that we can't get out of our "heads" and take the action required for success.
Socrates, one of the greatest "thinkers" of all time, said, "Action equals knowledge." Action, not thinking, is how we achieve results. Take playing the piano for instance. We could think about playing the piano but we will never become better until we start pecking away at the keys. If you were to ask an accomplished pianist to think about what they are playing in the middle of a rapturous concert, the music would probably fall apart into a series of painfully disconnected notes.
Same is true with typing. Ask a person who flawlessly types over 70 words a minute to think about the key strokes, and you could probably watch the mistakes pile up. Thinking hinders execution. Thinking can hinder success. The fact of the matter is we can intellectualize all we want, but until we take action we will never accomplish anything.
There is a mantra in the martial arts that says "Ready, Fire, Aim". Simply put, this means take action and correct that action as you go. It is quite probable that many businesses never get out of the starting gate because of over-thinking and over analyzing. Most people want all their ducks to be lined up in a row before they begin. This will never happen. The time will never be perfect. The key is to get started and then "keep on keeping on."
In the martial arts, students practice moves over and over and over again. They train their bodies to transcend thought and take action in the moment. Imagine a trained martial artist getting attacked on the street thinking, "Hmm, okay I'm being attacked. Should I turn my body this way or should it be the other way? Okay, now I have to trap the assailments arms, tighten my fists, pull back, and strike."
Of course this is not what happens in the martial arts. The key teaching in the martial arts is to ACT. NOW! ...In spite of the mind's tenancy to analyze the situation.
The worst kind of thinking is fear of failure. The "What if" disease. "What if I fail? What if people laugh at me? What if I lose all my money? What if, what if, what if?
Fear is paralyzing. It stops the movement necessary for success. Fear weakens our resolve, cripples our creativity, and ultimately stagnates our successes. Conversely, movement overcomes fear. When struck by fear, move. Do something!
So, don't wait to explore your entrepreneurial spirit; take action now. When those pesky thoughts creep up, and they will, scare them away with the mantra, "Don't think, don't think, don't think, don't think..." and watch your dreams and goals cascade toward you.
What is the bottom line? "Don't think and grow rich."
Posted by billenross at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2006
11 Practical Uses for RSS in Business
Are you wondering what you can use RSS for right now? Here are some practical examples of RSS at work.
Use Your Own Content
Almost ANY web based content can be transformed into an RSS feed. The only real requirement is that the information changes regularly.
News Headlines
Typically, the main use of RSS is to present headlines and a short introduction to "newsy" stories. Create an RSS feed on your site featuring your company press releases, site updates, etc.
Upcoming Events
RSS is a great way to let people know of events and activities that may be happening soon. It's easy to turn an "events" page into an RSS feed.
Thoughts/Commentary
You've probably heard of the term "blog" or "weblog". It's a page that displays (in chronological order) a series of writings on whatever the author wants to write about. While a normal blog also allows others to add their comments to yours, you don't have to offer that functionality.
Set up a page where you regularly add your thoughts on all sorts of issues - or just one issue - with the most recent post at the top of the page. Include these items in an RSS feed, and you've got a whole new audience for your pearls of wisdom.
Articles
Share your knowledge. This is a more "formal" type of writing, where you write a series of articles on a specific topic. Add a new article on that topic every week or so. Set up several topics and you've got several new RSS feeds to attract even more interest in what you know.
Don't forget to include a resource box in the article which allows others to reproduce your article on their site, with an obvious link back to you.
New Products
Got an online store with new inventory added regularly? Add details about your newly added items to an RSS feed to let people know what's just come in.
Weekly/Monthly Specials
Do you regularly make special offers on different products in your inventory? Again, RSS is a great way to tell people what's on special this week... or this month.
Newsletters
If you regularly produce an email newsletter, then consider converting it to RSS format as well as continuing to email it. After all, your newsletters ARE also shown on your web site... aren't they?
New Links
If you have a links directory, considering creating an RSS feed of the new links added to your directory in the last week or so. If you have a category structure within that directory, with links added often, you can create a feed for each category.
New Members
Do you run a public membership site? Recently joined members could be listed in an RSS feed with links direct to their profiles. What a great way to welcome new members!
Ticker RSS Feeds
Do you have timely information, e.g. important stock figures, to communicate to your customers? Automate the process with software and RSS can feed new critical information on an hourly basis (or more frequently if needed).
Note: Aim to have up to 15-20 items in each feed if possible. You can have more items if you want. Just remember that most feed reading software will NOT display all the items. Many may only show the first 5 or 10.
Once you've got your feed going... remember to submit your feed URLs to the various RSS Feed Directories.
Using Content From OTHER Web Sites
If a site offers an RSS feed for people to subscribe to, you can possibly use that feed on your site. Just check the terms and conditions on the site FIRST to see if you can reproduce the feed. If in doubt - send an email or phone them to ask permission.
What you are aiming for is to build many extra pages of useful content on topics of value to your visitors. Don't worry that the links in the feed take people off site (make that happen in a new window). The content is what is needed for search engines and people to devour!
Posted by billenross at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)
March 14, 2006
Should Your "Company Ethics" Be Used as a Marketing Tool?
Ethical Marketing. For some companies that phrase may seem like an oxymoron similar to “government intelligence.” For others however, it’s a core operating value.
What exactly is “Ethical marketing”? According to a recently released white paper on that subject, ethical marketing is a model of ethical interactivity between businesses and consumers that includes seven practices – notice, choice, access, contact, security, horizon and intrusiveness.
Every day there are exciting new technologies being created that open up endless possibilities for Internet Marketers. As a small business owner, your email box is probably already flooded with offers every day, telling you about the “next big thing” that will help you sell more of your products or services to scores of hungry buyers.
Right now, when a customer visits your Website, you’ve got the potential to track what pages they visit, how long they stay, what links they follow. To help make buying from you even easier, your customers have the option of letting you “remember” their personal information – everything from physical address to preferences and previous purchases to their credit card information.
You can even get their personal information – such as IP and email addresses, without them having to type a single word, or lift a finger to click a mouse.
Technology, by itself, isn’t inherently good or bad. What makes the difference is your intent and how you use it.
Here are five issues when it comes to addressing privacy issues that you should be thinking about, to ensure that your company is participating in “ethical marketing” practices.
Gathering Information – Addressing Consumer Privacy Issues
NOTICE: Do you tell consumers what information you’re collecting, how it will be used, whether it will be disclosed to anyone else, and whether or not you’re using cookies?
CHOICE: Do you give visitors to your Website the choice to agree with how you gather information and use it?
ACCESS: Do visitors to your Website have access to the information you collect about them? Do they have the ability to review and make changes to that information?
SECURITY: Do you let your customers know that you understand their concerns about the protection of their private information, and use best practices when transferring or storing their information?
CONTACT: Do your visitors and know how to contact you, and have the name of someone in your company to ask questions or register complaints about privacy concerns or complaints? And are those concerns or complaints handled in a professional manner immediately?
Being ethical and honest in all business dealings has always been considered good business practice. Doing business the way it has “always been done” just doesn’t work with savvy consumers any longer. In the wake of scandals like Enron and Arthur Anderson and others, consumers have become more cautious and skeptical and want to know more about the companies they’re doing business with. Because of their concerns over privacy and safety issues, many consumers are still hesitant about making purchases on the Web.
So can your company’s core operating values – its ethics – become an effective marketing tool?
Some experts say yes.
Here are some of the top ways small businesses can attract new customers and maintain strong support and loyalty from current ones:
1. Include words about your company’s integrity, commitment to excellence and high standards in all your marketing, advertising and on your Webpages. When you’re thinking about what you want to say, think about these questions: How long has your company been committed to excellence? Do you believe in integrity? How do you handle customer service?
2. Offer concrete examples of how you’re committed to excellence, integrity and honesty in all your dealings. Instead of just saying “Our service department is committed to excellence” explain why. What procedure do they follow? How are your employees involved in ensuring customer satisfaction? What guarantees do you offer your customers?
3. Get feedback from your customers. Even if you’re the only employee in your business, you can benefit from one of the secrets used by the Fortune 500 companies – it’s called “primary market research” but what it boils down to is asking your customers questions. Find out what they liked about doing business with you. But also ask what they DIDN’T like, and then take steps to solve any problems right away! Don’t make excuses, and don’t make it tough for your customers to fix something they consider to be a problem. Figure out a guarantee, and then stand behind it.
4. If you own a brick and mortar store, you can run quarterly promotions and in-house contests. For example, one inexpensive idea is to run a contest that rewards the employee who provides the best customer service during a specific time period. Or give your employees buttons that say “Ask about our 100 percent guarantee” etc. You can get really creative and make it fun for your customers and your employees, with the end result that everyone knows about your companies ethics and core operating values.
5. Add tag lines under your company name that talk about your company’s values. Include the same tag line on all marketing materials. Just remember to use statements that your company will be able to stand behind for a long time, because once that’s what you become known for, the image will stick.
Just remember that if you're going to use your company's ethics as a marketing tool, you need to adhere to them completely, with a "no tolerance" policy for any unethical practices. If you don't, this marketing tool could backfire, and you'll end up losing your credibility and your customers.
Posted by billenross at 11:35 PM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2006
How to Double Your Sales with "Punch Line" Headlines
The headline of your sales messages, whether on-line or in the local newspaper, is responsible for 70% to 80% of the response from your sales message. The success or failure of any marketing effort rests, to a large degree, on the power of your headline.
David Ogilvy is one of the most respected modern day marketing authorities. He revealed that, with the average headline, only 200 people out of 1000 will go on to read your ad. And that is where your profit is sitting. Capture another 200 customers with a punch line headline and you will double your sales. Lose 100 readers with a poor headline and you lose half your sales.
Headlines are just that important. Even poorly written ads have been very successful because of the overwhelming power of punch line headlines.
Your prospects will decide whether to read your sales message in only two or three seconds. That is all the time they will give you to scan your headline. Really, you and I are no different. We do not READ a newspaper, we SCAN the headlines - article headlines and ad headlines. We are looking for only what interests us at the moment.
A headline comprises the first words at the top of a newspaper ad. It is the title of your article, the subject line of an email, or the top of your web page.
Here are four critical tips for writing those "double your sales" punch line headlines.
1. Make Sure Your Headline Is The First Word Group Your Prospect Sees.
I know this may seem a "no-brainer" but I see this mistake time and again, particularly in local newspaper advertising. And, even more amazing, the ads the newspaper "experts" use to promote themselves seldom follow this rule. Take a look through your newspaper. Notice how many businesses start out their ad with their store name and location right at the top. This is such a terrible waste of their prime "real estate". It is an ego thing really, and can easily cost them 25% to 50% of their potential sales. Always keep in mind - the public does not give a hoot about you. If they are shopping for you, they will look in the yellow pages. They are only interested in themselves and fulfilling their current desires. Put your store name at the bottom. If the headline draws them in to read your ad, and you convince them to want it, they will find your business name, no matter how small.
2. Make Sure Your Headline Delivers The Punch Line.
The "punch line" is the unique and powerful part of your sales message. You aren't telling a joke here. Do not save the best part of your offer until last. Determine the most compelling part of your offer and put it right at the top of your ad in big, bold print. Virtually shout it out. And make the wording active, not passive. For example, "Save 50% on Recliners" is passive. "Take Home A Recliner for 50 Cents on the Dollar" is an active headline.
3. Use Words Your Prospect Is Searching For
Here is another costly mistake you will see every day. Do not try to get everybody to read your ad by being vague or cute. "Everybody" is not your potential customer. Your prospects are only those who want today what you have for sale today. By trying to capture everybody, you will actually lose many of your most important prospects - the ones that want to give you money. Your headline should sort out the buyers. Be specific. If you are selling recliners, then say "recliners", not "furniture". Do not say "Storewide Furniture Sale". Say "Dining Rooms, Living Rooms, Bedrooms - As Little As 50 Cents On The Dollar". The more focused your headline, and your sales message, the better the response.
4. Your Headline Should Be Short And Sweet
The headline should be as few words as possible, yet long enough to tell them what you are selling and why they should read your sales message. Usually ten words or less is a good target. The consumer will read longer headlines if the first four words grab their attention. If you need more words, start with a large, short headline leading to a smaller type, longer worded sub-headline.
Here are some very easy and fun ways to find profitable headline ideas.
1. Look through your newspaper every day. Watch for headlines on articles and ads that really grab your interest. Think about why those headlines worked on you.
2. While waiting to check out at the supermarket, read the headlines on the gossip tabloids. Those headlines are the main reason, if not the only reason, millions of people buy them every week. Supermarket tabloids have the high paid experts on staff who do nothing but write compelling and extremely profitable headlines. And these headlines are always good for a "laugh out loud" event.
3. Your junk mail is a virtual goldmine of great headlines and sub-headlines. Save the ones you like for future use. Mix, match and adapt these headlines to suit your business. If you see a headline used over and over again, it's because it is making a lot of money for that company. You do not have to re-invent the wheel. Somebody paid $1000's to write that headline, and $1000's more to test it - and you get to use it free.
4. Practice writing good headlines in the subject line of your emails. It is fun practice and your recipients will enjoy it too. "RE: This Weekend" is passive and boring. "RE: Let's Do It This Weekend" is active and compelling.
5. Buy a good book on marketing. One excellent book, if still available, is "Tested Advertising Methods" by the legendary expert John Caples (with a foreword by David Ogilvy). John devoted four full chapters just to the subject of headlines because he learned early on how important they are.
If you follow these tips, you will become an expert in no time - smarter than 90% of your competitors and 80% of newspaper advertising consultants. And when you experience the flood of sales that your headlines will create, others will want to know your secret to writing profitable punch line headlines.
Posted by billenross at 11:41 PM | Comments (0)
March 11, 2006
Blogs, Vlogs, Wikis and iPods
Perhaps you've heard about blogs - the hottest communication story of last year. Commentators from Newsweek to the Wall Street Journal, from CNN to PBS have devoted time to the phenomenon. Blogs are just one of the new technologies that are changing the way politicians communicate with voters and businesses communicate with customers.
For marketers, these changes mean more direct interaction with customers and potential customers. By speaking and listening directly with the customer marketers are able to reduce the expense for public relations and advertising. Of course, these developments are worrying some in the pr and advertising industries, as well as the news media.
Many things about marketing communication won't change, of course: you still need to have something to say. And the best way to apply all these technologies is still within a business niche. With that said, here are some of the other ways communication is changing:
1. Podcasting is the hottest idea on the internet. Starting in 2004, people began downloading homebrewed radio shows to their iPods. So instead of "broadcasts" they're "podcasts". Unlike streaming audio, podcasts require the file to be downloaded. The advantage of podcasts versus streaming is that you can take it with you when you're not on the net. The disadvantage is that streaming audio is much easier for a customer to play at his or her computer. The solution is to do both - create an audio file for streaming, and an mp3 for podcasting. The same recording can be used for both.
2. A vlog is a video blog. Unlike podcasting, vlogging can refer to either streaming video or downloadable shows. Combined with the rapid development of internet video delivery, vlogging seems poised to take off. As with audio, you can prepare your video file in both streaming and downloadable formats. Also like audio, you can begin with very low-cost tools and work your way up to full blown professional equipment. Remember that people like good production quality, but they like watching something interesting even more.
3. Wikis are websites that are editable by the site users. Content becomes part of a dialogue among the users, instead of something fixed. This interaction can build strong communities, and produce large sites with enormous information. Up until recently, wikis have been difficult to use, and limited to techs. New approaches to wikis are making them easier to use, and reinforcing the next trend:
4. Social software. Community sites that encourage sharing and conversation are springing up in many areas. Photography and music have been drivers of this trend, in addition to political activism. Interaction builds community, and community is where the market is.
5. Almost all of these tools involve RSS, a technology for feeding information to people who want it. Unlike email, which is "pushed" by the sender, rss feeds have to be "pulled" by the user. While still not completely mainstream, rss is a rapidly growing delivery system.
For the small marketer, the price of reaching customers directly has dropped. Large corporations, though, are picking up on these technologies rapidly. To truly gain an edge, the small business person needs to develop a strategy for these channels before the big companies figure them out.
Posted by billenross at 11:12 PM | Comments (0)
March 10, 2006
Why Blogging is Essential to Your Business
In the 'good old days' - about three years ago - you used to keep in-touch with your customers using phone calls, email messages and face to face meetings. Nowadays the world has changed. People expect even more frequent updates, yet it's nearly impossible to meet with every business contact on a regular basis.
Thankfully, blogging has come to the rescue. Setting up a blog on your web site - and having an associated RSS feed - means you can keep in constant touch with your clients and potential customers. Plus you don't have to email them and they can get your latest news without having to visit your web site.
So how does this all work? A blog is really a fancy name for a web page that gets updated regularly. It's nothing special. There are several methods of writing 'blogs', but they are nothing more than computer programs which allow you to easily update a web page. Far and away the easiest way to start a blog is with a website called blogger.com.
However, for keeping in touch with your customers, RSS is the key. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. What this means is that your blog can be automatically delivered to people who want to read it - you don't have to send it to them and neither do they have to come and collect it. All they need is the address of your RSS Feed and their RSS Newsreader can do the job for them. There are several RSS readers available and new web browsers incorporate the ability to read RSS feeds and keep them updated.
Whenever you add new content to your blog, the RSS Feed automatically gets updated in everyone's Reader program or web browser. That means you are guaranteed to be able to keep in touch with clients and prospects. You don't have to do anything other than produce the content. Equally, you don't face the problems of email filters and anti-spam programs blocking your email. Furthermore, people tend to read RSS Feeds because they have subscribed to them whereas they tend to ignore non urgent emails.
As you can see, there are several advantages to Blogs and RSS Feeds. But it doesn't stop there. Search engines love them. That's because blogs provide fresh and new content - precisely what searchers are looking for. Hence the search engines are actively pushing blogs higher up the search engine ranking. This means if you don't have a blog for your business, you are seriously reducing your chances of a high search engine ranking. You need a blog nowadays to get noticed by the search engines.
So, blogging is essential. Not only does it improve your web presence, it also means you can keep in touch with clients and prospects more easily. And all the marketing research you can find will tell you that keeping in regular touch with your customers is an important component in gaining new business. So get blogging!
Posted by billenross at 06:36 PM | Comments (0)
March 04, 2006
What Is Blogging?
What Is Blogging?
Blogging is a method of sharing information over the internet for work, pleasure or both. 'Blogs' are often described as an online diary, with dated posts displayed chronologically. 'Blogging' is the action of posting a message on a blog. A 'blogger' is the person posting the message. Many blogs also allow you to post pictures and receive comments from readers.
Blogs can be about anything. They are usually based on a particular topic or an individual's personal thoughts and opinions. They often contain links to other related sites and are commonly free to operate. They require little knowledge to set up and are simple to update.
Who Uses A Blog?
Who DOESN'T use a blog? Teenagers have blogs, celebrity clubs have blogs, news agencies have blogs, businesses have blogs - even your aunt Sophie could have a blog.
The wonderful thing about blogs is that there are virtually no restraints on what it could be used for. This means that while it's an easy way to share news among family members and post the latest baby pictures, it's equally well suited for a business to post updates and data to inform the public, employees or other interested parties.
Is A Blog Good For My Business?
If you want to develop a rapport with your customers, make regular postings about your business and gain interest from other media outlets or potential customers you would certainly benefit from starting a blog.
Because blogs by nature are considered a source of information rather than a commercial advertisement it makes perfect sense for a business to use blogs as a means of establishing a reputation in their market.
Posting information about their industry or field will create a sense of community involvement that potential customers will appreciate. Using links to your business page will create traffic from search engines and blog readers. You can even add a subscription form to your blog so that interested readers can immediately be emailed when you make a post.
How Do I Start A Blog?
You can create a blog for free. There are many free blog hosting sites you can locate by searching for 'blog' in the search engine. Blogger.com is a popular one.
Blogs are the simplest form of creating an online presence. You do not need any experience in website design as most blog hosts will provide you with pre-made templates. They also provide easy to understand instructions for creating your posts along with options such as allowing comments from readers or uploading photos.
Whether you want to post your personal thoughts on a world crisis, share your poems with appreciative readers or start an online business, your blog could be set up and people could be hearing what you have to say - today.
Posted by billenross at 01:10 PM | Comments (0)
March 03, 2006
Marketing Offline Like The Pros
Marketing offline is a great way to compliment your online campaigns. It helps target people who otherwise might not spot your online presence. Plus it helps you target people who have Internet access and email when you include your URL or web site address in all of your ads. To help you make the most of your offline marketing, here are a few tips from the pros:
1. INSERTS – Ask for media kits from print publications that target your industry readers. Find out their rates for inserts. And have their advertising department help you create a marketing insert for your products and services that targets Internet users and includes your URL and email address. Do include a phone number (toll-free, if possible) for those who have technical difficulties or prefer to call.
2. TEACH - Hold affordable (or free) offline classes at a local community center or other educational facility. Share your knowledge in your area of expertise with attendees. And make sure to distribute handouts with complete contact information, including your website and email address.
Be pro-active and post-active by announcing your classes in a press release to the local media; radio, television, print publications. And follow up by inviting students to enter feedback and referrals in your website form after the class if over. Capture their contact information, enter it into your database, and follow up regularly – sending them your ezine and product / service announcements, both via email and regular postal mail.
3. ORGANIZATIONS - Target your offline marketing to groups of people who will actually be interested in your product or service; i.e. local associations and organizations. Check your Yellow Pages for groups near you and find out when their meetings are. Call ahead to make sure guests are welcome. Then go and network at an easy pace, not fast. Slowly work your way into the group and make sure it would be a good fit for you; you’ll want to give at first, then you’ll receive later on (maybe after your first year, even).
Gradually distribute your business cards – with your website and email address on them. Volunteer to teach about your area of expertise if the chance arises, of course distributing your marketing materials with our website and email address on them, too.
Use caution, before rushing to join during or after the first meeting. Take your time to make sure the group would be a good fit for you and your business operations. Sometimes group operations are lacking or suffer due to board member turnover, the economy, new industry laws, etc. So you might benefit from waiting to join for several months down the road, or trying a different group all together.
So reach out and advertise offline to compliment your online strategy. And remember to include your website and email address on all of your marketing tools.
Posted by billenross at 07:07 PM | Comments (0)
March 02, 2006
10 Costly Search Engine Mistakes to Avoid
If you have a website then you already know the importance of traffic. Traffic is to Internet marketing as location is to real estate. It's the only thing that really matters. If you cannot generate targeted visitors to your site, you will not make any sales.
Usually the owner or designer of the website is the person designated to drive traffic to the site. The chief ingredient in generating traffic is the search engine. Of coarse, you can use advertising, but it's going to cost you. Using the search engines to generate targeted (interested in your product) traffic is the least expensive method known.
Unfortunately, many website owners do not understand the importance of search engine visibility, which leads to traffic. They place more importance on producing a "pretty" website. Not that this is bad, but it is really secondary to search engine placement. Hopefully, the following list of common mistakes, made by many website owners, will help you generate more targeted traffic to your site...after all, isn't that what you want.
1. Not using keywords effectively.
This is probably one of the most critical area of site design. Choose the right keywords and potential customers will find your site. Use the wrong ones and your site will see little, if any, traffic.
2. Repeating the same keywords.
When you use the same keywords over and over again (called keyword stacking) the search engines may downgrade (or skip) the page or site.
3. Robbing pages from other websites.
How many times have you heard or read that "this is the Internet and it's ok" to steal icons and text from websites to use on your site. Don't do it. Its one thing to learn from others who have been there and another to outright copy their work. The search engines are very smart and usually detect page duplication. They may even prevent you from ever being listed by them.
4. Using keywords that are not related to your website.
Many unethical website owners try to gain search engine visibility by using keywords that have nothing at all to do with their website. They place unrelated keywords in a page (such as "sex", the name of a known celebrity, the hot search topic of the day, etc.) inside a meta tag for a page. The keyword doesn't have anything to do with the page topic. However, since the keyword is popular, they think this will boost their visibility. This technique is considered spam by the search engines and may cause the page (or sometimes the whole site) to be removed from the search engine listing.
5. Keyword stuffing.
Somewhat like keyword stacking listed above, this means to assign multiple keywords to the description of a graphic or layer that appears on your website by using the "alt=" HTML parameter. If the search engines find that this text does not really describe the graphic or layer it will be considered spam.
6. Relying on hidden text.
You might be inclined to think that if you cannot see it, it doesn't hurt. Wrong.... Do not try to hide your keywords or keyword phrases by making them invisible. For example, some unethical designers my set the keywords to the same color as the background of the web page; thereby, making it invisible.
7. Relying on tiny text.
This is another version of the item above (relying on hidden text). Do not try to hide your keywords or keyword phrases by making them tiny. Setting the text size of the keywords so small that it can barely be seen does this.
8. Assuming all search engines are the same.
Many people assume that each search engine plays by the same rules. This is not so. Each has their own rule base and is subject to change anytime they so desire. Make it a point to learn what each major search engine requires for high visibility.
9. Using free web hosting.
Do not use free web hosting if you are really serious about increasing site traffic via search engine visibility. Many times the search engines will eliminate content from these free hosts.
10. Forgetting to check for missing web page elements.
Make sure to check every page in your website for completeness, like missing links, graphics, etc. There are sites on the web that will do this for free.
This is just a few of the methods and techniques that you should avoid. Do not give in to the temptation that these methods will work for you. They will do more harm than good for your website.
Not only will you spend weeks of wasted effort, you may have your site banned from the search engines forever. Invest a little time to learn the proper techniques for increasing search engine visibility and your net traffic will increase.
Posted by billenross at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2006
How to get Targeted Traffic to Your Website
Everyone who has a website knows that to have sales you must have traffic, but not just any traffic it has to be targeted traffic.
What is Targeted traffic? It is simply visitors to your website that are interested in what your website is about. For example, people interested in buying jewellery will find jewellery websites interesting.
How do I get targeted traffic I hear you ask? The following are tried and tested methods:
Forums: Subscribe to forums that discuss your topic. Answer questions and join in the debates there. Become an expert in the field. Then with each article reply you write have a discreet link to your website in the signature file. What can be placed in your signature is often determined by the forum moderators. Do not spam the forum or you will be stopped from posting. This is one of the most productive ways of getting free traffic as those who click your link have already read and liked your style.
Linking from/to other websites: Contact website owners that have similar but not competitive websites to yours, ask them for a reciprocal link from their website to yours. Be sure to select your link partner to match closely your customer profile. Software programs such as Arelis are very helpful in this process.
E-Zines: Contact e-zine owners that have your target readership and buy advertisements from them. Be sure to have a test run to see that the return on investment is sufficient to cover the costs involved. If you are buying an extended run of advertisements haggle with the e-zine owner over price. You may save a considerable amount.
Newsletters: When people visit your website offer them something of value for free if they sign up to your newsletter (like an e-Book). Your newsletter should be written tightly geared towards your topic. It should be published regularly at weekly intervals.
E-Books: Often used, these are usually free informational books for your clients and for others to give away free if they leave your links in the book itself. You can place links back to your website in the books you sell or give to your clients.
Joint Ventures: Contact online marketers looking for new products to sell. They often have large mailing lists with eager to buy customers. Normally they are willing to email their list for a cut of the sale price. This works particularly well with informational products. It has several advantages. It can give a very sizeable boost to both your sales and mailing list within a very short period.
Buy Traffic: This is probably the cheapest in terms of time and most expensive money wise. It gives a traffic boost normally within 30 days. What are you buying? You are buying traffic from expired domain names which the company selling the traffic has bought. They are domain names still registered on the search engines which get a considerable amount of traffic. The previous domain name owners have either lost interest in the name or simply forgot to renew the registration. This means that the traffic from the expired domain name is simply redirected to your website. This is usually high quality traffic as only websites with traffic such as you want is redirected to you. As always, a test run to see if this traffic is suitable should be undertaken.
When you combine these techniques and apply them consistently over time you will find a rich source of targeted traffic coming to your website. This, combined with quality products will ensure the success of your online business.
Posted by billenross at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2006
Market Your Storefront with a Website
Many people think that the Internet offers a tremendous marketplace, while others will question the extra effort and money to purchase and design a website. Some of the money-making values of having a website are summarized in the following paragraphs for your consideration.
1. If you have a local group of customers and want to expand to the neighboring areas, states or even, countries, without spending massive amounts of costly advertising money or even leasing more company space, then the Internet can work very well for you. Niche markets (small groups of customers scattered about that are interested in a very specific item or service) also work very well on the Internet.
2. As a business owner, you need to provide a map and directions to your store for your customers and enable them to look up specials, discounts, limited merchandise, or varieties and prices of each item you market. For instance, let's say you sell cheesecakes and you would like to spend less time on the phone explaining the different varieties, how many people the different varieties will serve, prices, and availability. Here's how this could work online for you. You would provide a secure, encrypted order form thereby collecting the person's credit information as well as their address, phone, and email information. They would list their preferences as to varieties and sizes of cheesecakes. This form would be sent directly to your email or to your fax so that you would have the items ready for the customer to pick up that day or the day they designate. You would have the cheesecakes shipped for those that cannot make it to your store. When a customer returns to order another product from your website, they would not have to fill out most of the form as it would already be in your database.
3. You build their confidence when you show customers that you have their best interest and shopping convenience in mind when you open a website and properly maintain that website with new and updated information. Customers will appreciate being able to read about the owners, the store's policies, the service after the sale, and any other items you think would develop a rapport to allow them to do more business with you. Having a website allows your company to develop its style and branding and develops a sense of security for the customers in doing business with your firm.
4. A small operation can look just as important as a large corporation. A website builds confidence and value into your products and services and allows you to receive orders you may have missed without being on the Internet.
5. If you do advertising on the radio or TV, newspapers or direct mail, having a website gives the customer a place to review what you tell them in the ads in much more detail. Every ad should reference your website so customers can view the details at a time and place that is convenient 24 hours a day seven days a week. You can quickly change and update information on a website without the expense of printed materials.
6. You can do any promotion online that you can do offline and much cheaper. Coupons, money-off sales, discounts, employee recognition, limited merchandise you want to move, all these can be marketed on your website. Keeping the website up-to-date can be provided by your webmaster at a very nominal fee.
I hope that you can see from some of the above points that having your own website is necessary in today's marketplace for any small or medium-sized business as well as any at-home business. Customers are out there looking for you and you need to take advantage of where they are looking and, right now, that is the INTERNET! Since your competitors have a website, they are perceived as being more up-to-date. The ease, convenience, special online savings, information about your company's mission, your services, your ability to communicate with customers are all important reasons for having a dynamic online website. Online marketing will only continue to grow...WILL YOUR CUSTOMERS FIND YOU ONLINE?
Posted by billenross at 08:58 PM | Comments (0)
