Friday, July 12, 2013

Local Businesses Need To Expand & Refine Advertising Approach

A snippet from this article....
Local Businesses Need To Expand and Refine Advertising Approach

Internet Yellow Pages Serve As Valuable Source Of Quality Leads

When considering which local media to further engage, local businesses should consider the full impact of what the media can offer, from increased consumer reach to the high quality of leads.

Internet Yellow Pages, which include offerings such as YP.com, DexKnows.com and Superpages.com, have for years maintained considerable reach among consumers and have played an important role in driving quality leads to local businesses. The study found that nearly half of respondents (47%) said they used Internet Yellow Pages in 2012, resulting in approximately 5 billion references.

Following a historical trend, the study showed that Internet Yellow Pages generally attract consumers at the key inflection point when they are ready to contact a business and make a purchase. This is an important consideration for local businesses looking for a solution that drives real sales results.

Monday, June 17, 2013

FREE Download! Guide: How To Attract New Customers with Email and Social (with FREE 60 Day Email Trial)

FREE Download! Guide:How to Grow Your Business and Attract New Customers with an Email and Social Strategy.(and FREE 60 Day Email Trial*)

Download

Email marketing and social media marketing have reshaped the marketing landscape for small businesses. But the results that come from using them separately barely scratch the surface of what they offer when used together.

In this guide we'll tell you why small businesses need to embrace a strategy that brings their email marketing and social media marketing efforts together. Then, we'll show you how to combine your email and social media marketing efforts, and provide real-life examples of businesses that have used both to grow their business and attract new customers.

You'll learn how to:

Understand the Relationship Between Email Marketing and Social Media Marketing
Turn Social Connections into Email Contacts
Make Your Email Marketing More Social Than Ever

Plus, we'll show you four examples from other small businesses and nonprofits that have put email + social strategies into action and achieved great results.

*You can sign up for a FREE 60-Day Trial of Email Marketing today.

No risk.

No obligation.

No credit card.

Get Your FREE 60-Day Trial

Monday, May 27, 2013

Extended:Memorial Day Sale! Save up to 65%!

Nightingale-Conant’s massive

MEMORIAL DAY SALE, EXTENDED!!!

Prepare yourself for the most productive, profitable summer
EVER — with huge savings on 25 time-tested classics from
the most influential authors of all time.

SAVE UP TO 65% OFF

the full retail price

FREE SHIPPING on orders over $59.95!

Memorial Day Sale! Save up to 65%!

Memorial Day Sale! Save up to 65%!

Friday, May 17, 2013

The Secret Ingredient for Successful Websites: Effortlessness

This makes SO much sense.. the K.I.S.S. principal always wins!...

The Secret Ingredient for Successful Websites: Effortlessness | ClickZ

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

7 Ways to Build Authority on Google+

Do it yourself or have someone help you.. good stuff here!
7 Ways to Build Authority on Google+ - 'Net Features - Website Magazine

Friday, May 10, 2013

FREE Webinar:Supercharge Your Advertising

A great ad isn't hard to spot; you've seen them online, during the Superbowl, or on a billboard.

Learn how to create effective ads for your own business that will increase your visibility and get more customers to find and choose you instead of your competition.

Click here to register for free

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Get More Customers By Responding to Negative Reviews

Great Info-graphic here:
Get More Customers By Responding to Negative Reviews

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

How to Let Go: The 4 People You Must Forgive

A great article for "Mental Spring Cleaning" reprinted with permission from my colleague Brian Tracy...

How to Let Go: The 4 People You Must Forgive
By Brian Tracy

There are four people you need to forgive if you are serious about changing your life and learning how to live in the now.

The first are your parents, living or dead. You must absolutely forgive them for every mistake they ever made in bringing you up. At the very least, you should be grateful to them for giving you life. They got you here. If you are happy to be alive, you can forgive them for everything else. Never complain about them again.

Many of my seminar participants have phoned or visited their parents and told them that they forgive them for everything. Often this simple act of courage and character has had a profound effect on their relationship with their mother or father. From that day onward, they have become good friends, which lasted the rest of their lives together.

On the other hand, by not forgiving your parents, you remain forever a child. You block your own chance to grow up and become a fully functioning adult. You continue to see yourself as a victim. Even worse, you keep your negative feelings of inferiority and anger alive. If your parents die without your having forgiven them, it can bother you for the rest of your life.

The second person or persons you must forgive are the people from your marriages or relationships that didn’t work out. These intimate relationships can be so intense, and so threatening to your feelings of self-esteem and self-worth, that you can be angry and unforgiving toward those people for years.

But you were at least partially responsible. Have the personal strength and integrity to say, “I am responsible,” and then forgive the other person and let him or her go. Say the words, “I forgive him/her for everything and I wish him/her well.” Each time you repeat this, the negative emotion attached to the memory will diminish. Soon it will be gone forever.

Many of my graduates have found that “the letter” is the key to putting a bad relationship behind them forever. This is a powerful technique that can free you from feelings of anger and resentment almost instantly.

Here is how it works: You to sit down and write the other person a letter of forgiveness. It consists of three parts.

First you say, “I forgive you for everything you ever did that hurt me.”

Second, you write out a description or list of every single thing that you are still mad about. Some people write several pages in this part.

Third, you end the letter with the words, “I wish you well.”

You then take the letter to the mailbox and drop it in. At that moment, you will feel a huge sense of relief, and you will be free at last.

By the way, don’t worry about how the other person might react. That is not your concern. Your goal is to free yourself, to regain your peace of mind, and to get on with the wonderful life that lies ahead of you.

The third person you must forgive is everyone else in your life who has ever hurt you in any way. Let them go. Forgive every boss, business partner, friend, crook or betrayer who has ever caused you grief of any kind. Clean the slate and forgive to forget. Wipe each of their names and images off by saying, “I forgive him/her for everything, and I wish him/her well.” Repeat this statement each time you think of the person or situation until the negative feelings are gone.

The fourth and final person you have to forgive is yourself. You must absolutely forgive yourself for every silly, senseless, wicked, brainless, thoughtless or cruel thing you have ever done or said. Stop carrying these past mistakes around with you. That was then and this is now.

Think of it this way. When you did those things in the past that you still feel badly about, you were not the person you are today. At that time, you were a different person, younger and less experienced. You were not your true self. You were an immature version of the person you have become with experience. Stop beating yourself up for something that occurred in the past that you cannot change.

Just say, “I forgive myself for every mistake I ever made. I am a thoroughly good person and I am going to have a wonderful future.” Whenever you think of that event or situation, just repeat, “I forgive myself completely.” And then get on with your life. Focus on the future rather than the past and don’t look back. Look at where you are going rather than where you have been.

Finally, if you did something that hurt someone, and you still feel badly about it, you can go to that person, or write, and apologize. Tell the person you are sorry for what you did or said. Whatever his or her reaction, positive or negative, it doesn’t matter. The very act of repentance, of expressing regret, will set you free.

FREE eBook — Best of Brian Tracy's Blogs! Four incredible blogs that will help you learn how to influence people, become the best version of yourself, and start taking action to get everything you want in life! Access the ultimate collection of Brian Tracy’s BEST blog posts here: Brian Tracy E-Book

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Google Explains Why Your New Page's Number One Ranking May Drop

Professional, ongoing SEO services will always win the day... and beyond!

Google Explains Why Your New Page's Number One Ranking May Drop

One Small Step Into Social Media A FREE Dex Digital Webinar

One Small Step Into Social Media | A Dex Digital Webinar

Learn How to Use Social Media to Reach More Customers

Webinar Information

DATE:
Wednesday, April 10, 2013

TIME: 12 p.m. Eastern

DURATION: 1 Hour

Free Social Media Session and 12-week Class

Attendees will receive a complimentary Social Media Mission Statement session and a free 12-week class on Social Media Strategy ($250 value).

If you've ever wondered how to use social media to connect with more customers and market your small business, this webinar is for you.
Join us on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, for an exclusive small business marketing event with Social Media Coach, Dafna Michaelson, and Social Media Strategist, Penney Fox.You'll get tips and strategies that will increase your visibility and save time such as how to:

•	Create automated posts
•	Leverage categories and keywords for optimized search
•	Develop and find quick and easy content that will attract and engage customers

If you're looking for new and cost-effective ways to getting found and being chosen by more people, register now for the webinar.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

The Basics of Advertising; Start With The End In Mind

Advertising: The Basics

Think you have a great product? Unfortunately, no one's going to know about it unless you advertise.

Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your product sales, and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your business. But be warned: it is not a panacea.

Below you will find a list of what advertising can and can't do for your business, along with the steps you can take to start using advertising to your business's advantage.

What Advertising Can Do For Your Business

Remind customers and inform prospective customers about the benefits of your product or service
Establish and maintain your distinct identity
Enhance your reputation
Encourage existing customers to buy more of your product/service
Attract new customers and replace lost ones
Slowly build sales to boost your bottom line
Promote your business to customers, investors, and others

What Advertising Cannot Do For Your Business

Create an instant customer base
Cause an immediate, sharp increase in sales
Solve cash flow or profit problems
Substitute for poor or indifferent customer service
Sell useless or unwanted products or services

Two Important Virtues of Advertising

You have complete control. Unlike public-relations efforts, you determine exactly where, when and how often your message will appear, how it will look and what it will say. You can target your audience more readily and aim at very specific geographic areas.
You can be consistent. Presenting your company's image and sales message repeatedly to build awareness and trust. A distinctive identity will eventually become clearly associated with your company. Customers will recognize your brand and product quickly and easily if you're consistent in presentation.

Two Drawbacks of Advertising

It takes planning. Advertising works best and costs the least when the planning and preparation are done in advance. For example, you'll pay less per ad in newspapers and magazines by agreeing to run several ads over time rather than deciding on an issue-by-issue basis. Likewise, you can save money by preparing a number of ads at once.
It takes time and persistence. The effectiveness of your advertising improves gradually over time because it's impossible for every customer to see every ad. You must repeatedly remind prospects and customers about the benefits of doing business with you. The long-term effort triggers recognition and helps special offers or direct marketing payoff.

Getting Ready to Advertise

Use the following steps to help draw a blueprint for your business's advertising plan:

1. Design the Framework

What is the purpose of your advertising program? Start by defining your company's long-range goals, then map out how marketing can help attain them. Focus on advertising routes complementary to your marketing efforts. Set measurable goals so you can evaluate the success of your advertising campaign. For example, do you want to increase overall sales by 20 percent this year? Boost sales to existing customers by 10 percent during each of the next three years? Appeal to younger or older buyers? Sell off old products to free resources for new ones?
How much can you afford to invest? Keep in mind that whatever amount you allocate will never seem like enough. Even giants such as Proctor & Gamble and Pepsi always feel they could augment their advertising budgets. Given your income, expenses, and sales projections, simple addition and subtraction can help you determine how much you can afford to invest. Some companies spend a full 10 percent of their gross income on advertising, others just 1 percent. Research and experiment to see what works best for your business.

2. Fill in the Details

What are the features and benefits of your product or service? When determining features, think of automobile brochures that list engine, body and performance specifications. Next, and more difficult, determine the benefits those features provide to your customers. How does your product or service actually help them? For example, a powerful engine helps a driver accelerate quickly to get onto busy freeways.
Who is your audience? Create a profile of your best customer. Be as specific as possible, as this will be the focus of your ads and media choices. A restaurant may target adults who dine out frequently in the nearby city or suburban area. A computer software manufacturer may aim at information managers in companies with 10-100 employees. A bottled water company may try to appeal to athletes or people over 25 who are concerned about their health.
Who is your competition? It's important to identify your competitors and their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what your competition offers that you lack - and vice versa - helps you show prospects how your product or service is special and why they should do business with you instead of someone else. Knowing your competition will also help you find a niche in the marketplace.

3. Arm Yourself with Information

What do you know about your industry, market and audience? There are many sources of information to help you keep in touch with industry, market and buying trends without conducting expensive market research. Examples include U.S. Government materials from the Census Bureau and Department of Commerce. Public, business or university libraries are also a good option, as are industry associations, trade publications, and professional organizations. You can quickly and easily learn more about your customers by simply asking them about themselves, their buying preferences, and media habits. Another (more expensive) alternative is to hire a professional market research firm to conduct your research.

4. Build Your Action Plan - Evaluating Media Choices

Your next step is to select the advertising vehicles you will use to carry your message and establish an advertising schedule. In most cases, knowing your audience will help you choose the media that will deliver your sales message most effectively. Use as many of the above tools as are appropriate and affordable. You can stretch your media budget by taking advantage of co-op advertising programs offered by manufacturers. Although programs vary, generally the manufacturer will pay for a portion of media space, time costs or mailer production charges up to a fixed amount per year. The total amount contributed is usually based on the quantity of merchandise you purchase.
When developing your advertising schedule, be sure to take advantage of any special editorial or promotional coverage planned in the media you select. Newspapers, for example, often run special sections featuring real estate, investing, home and garden improvement, and tax advice. Magazines also often focus on specific themes in each issue.

5. Using Other Promotional Avenues

Advertising extends beyond the media described above. Other options include imprinting your company name and graphic identity on pens, paper, clocks, calendars and other giveaway items for your customers. Put your message on billboards, inside buses and subways, on vehicle and building signs, on point-of-sale displays and on shopping bags.
You might co-sponsor events with nonprofit organizations and advertise your participation, attend or display at consumer or business trade shows, create tie-in promotions with allied businesses, distribute newsletters, conduct seminars, undertake contests or sweepstakes, send advertising flyers along with billing statements, use telemarketing to generate leads for salespeople, or develop sales kits with brochures, product samples, and application ideas.
The number of promotional tools used to deliver your message and repeat your name is limited only by your imagination and your budget.

The Advertising Campaign

You are ready for action when armed with knowledge of your industry, market and audience, have a media plan and schedule, know your product or service's most important benefits, and have measurable goals in terms of sales volume, revenue generated and other criteria.

The first step is to establish the theme that identifies your product or service in all of your advertising. The theme of your advertising reflects your special identity or personality and the particular benefits of your product or service. For example, cosmetics ads almost always rely on a glamorous theme. Many food products opt for healthy, all-American family campaigns. Automobile advertising frequently concentrates on how the car makes you feel about owning or driving it rather than performance attributes.

Tag lines reinforce the single most important reason for buying your product or service. "Nothing Runs Like a Deere" (John Deere farm vehicles) conveys performance and endurance with a nice twist on the word deer. "Ideas at Work" (Black & Decker tools and appliances) again signifies performance, but also shows reliability and imagination. "How the Smart Money Gets that Way" (Barron's financial publication) clearly connotes prosperity, intelligence and success.

Comparing Advertising and Public Relations

Advertising	Public Relations
Space or time in the mass media must be purchased.	Mass media coverage (if any) is not paid for.
You determine the message.	The media controls the interpretation of the message.
You control timing.	The media controls the timing.
One-way communication - using the mass media does not allow feedback.	Two-way communication - the company should be listening as well as talking, and the various PR venues often provide immediate feedback.
Message sponsor is identified.	Message sponsor is not overtly identified.
The intention of most messages is to inform, persuade, or remind about a product - usually with the intention of making a sale.	The intention of public relations efforts is often to create goodwill, to keep the company and/or product in front of the public, or to humanize a company so the public relates to its people or reputation, rather than viewing the company as a non-personal entity.
The public may view the message negatively, recognizing advertising as an attempt to persuade or manipulate them.	The public often sees public relations messages that have been covered by the media as more neutral or believable.
Very powerful at creating image.	Can also create image, but can sometimes stray from how it was originally intended.
Writing style is usually persuasive and can be very creative, often taking a conversational tone; it may even be grammatically incorrect.	Writing style is generally more formal and less colloquial.

How to Write a Business Plan

Very informative Quick Video here:

How to Write a Business Plan | SBA.gov

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Online Advertising: Basic Rules Resources

Online Advertising

A well-known cartoon shows two dogs in front of a computer. The caption reads, "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog."

While the cartoon is amusing, the reality is not: The inherent anonymity of the Internet has fostered a number of questionable advertising and marketing practices, such as unsolicited email spam. Over the past decade, federal and state governments have passed advertising laws that protect consumer privacy and ensure fair and truthful advertising practices online.

If you plan to advertise online -- whether you're buying ads on search engines or direct marketing through email -- you'll need to understand some basic rules. Go to these resources to learn more.

Advertising and Marketing on the Internet: Rules of the Road

Discusses the applicability of federal advertising laws to Internet advertising and marketing.

Dot Com Disclosures: Information about Online Advertising

Describes information businesses should consider as they develop online ads to ensure that they comply with the law.

CAN-SPAM Act: Requirements for Businesses

Details the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act), which establishes requirements for those who send commercial email. It also spells out penalties for spammers and companies whose products are advertised in spam if they violate the law, and gives consumers the right to ask emailers to stop spamming them. Commercial email messages must include: notice that the message is an advertisement or solicitation, an opt-out notice, and a valid postal address of the sender. CAN-SPAM also prohibits falsification of transmission information and deceptive subject headings. The Act creates criminal prohibitions against those who knowingly transmit spam through others' computers without authorization. The Federal Trade Commission may also pursue individuals who knowingly hire others to send deceptive spam.

"Remove Me" Responses and Responsibilities

Explains the truthful requirements for claims that you make in any advertisement for your products or services, including those sent by email. This means that you must honor any promises you make to remove consumers from email mailing lists.When working with a company or individual to provide online adverting services, you basically have three choices:

1) A company trying to be "the next Google" or who has "found a way around Google"

2) A small company or individual who works on a "do-it-yourself" type basis

3) A company with the stature and clout to partner with Google,as well as Yahoo and Bing" (plus their own proprietary platforms would be good too!)

Please don't experiment with your investment. The "testing" should already have been done before you spend a dime. Wait until "the next big thing" is ACTUALLY THE Next Big Thing!

If you'd like more info or have any requests or questions for my next message, please just call or e-mail me