Business

  • Should I Use Free or Paid Ads?

    AdvertisingAdvertising is a part of business, I know some people wish it wasn’t. Whether you are a small business, entrepreneur or a large company advertising of some sort will be necessary. It doesn’t matter if you are selling a product or a service you have to get the word out to the world somehow.

     

    There are many factors to consider when making this decision but only you will be able to know what is right for you. I’m not suggesting that you don’t get help if you don’t know what to do but ultimately your advertising has to represent you.

     

    Paid advertising depending on the type of advertising you use will determine the cost. Some advertising is quite extensive, resulting in more expense. This type of advertising is generally more suitable for larger companies.

     

    In most cases the cost of advertising will be more involved and reach a wider audience and a more specific market niche. This will include a diverse approach such as a mix of newspapers, television, web sites, social media and SEO. This can either be state, national or worldwide.

     

    Free advertising is more for those who are boot strapping or trying to sell an item or service to promote a small business. Free advertising does generally limit the area of where your advertisements will appear, but at the same time it is a very good start that you can eventually build on to as money and business allows. This smaller scale of advertising is generally limited to local or state wide coverage, or if you’re lucky it may include a few states and even a few web page mentions.

     

    With free ads, especially on web pages, social media or through mailing lists you may come across to salesy or spammy. Be sure to use the 80/20 rule. Promote only 20% of the time.

     

    Remember to provide great content to your subscribers so they keep wanting to read what you have to say and also try and entertain your audience. Lastly, be approachable by adding your personality to all you do.

     

    advertisingNext let’s look at a hybrid approach to advertising which many of my clients do. As they have grown their businesses they start to emulate some of the larger companies by incorporating a more diverse approach to their marketing budget by adding paid advertising. Of course the more niched you are the better this approach works. Knowing your demographic is also important.

     

    You may not have the dollars to reach a national audience but you may have the budget to reach a local target audience. For instance, if your business has a good following on Facebook you may try Facebook Ads. These ads can target a very specific audience and not cost you a lot of money to try.

     

    Another way to get your products out to the world is an affiliate program. I can’t spend a lot of time on this approach in this post (because it’s extensive) but many resourceful businesses have used this method. It is more of a hybrid approach because it does cost you money in paid commissions but it allows you to reach audiences that you may have never gotten in front of and you don’t pay unless something is sold.

     

    As you can see there are options available to you. One is expensive but reaches a wide market, one is a hybrid and can help you reach further than your local market and the other one is free but a little more limiting.

     

    Whichever one you chose make sure you have the resources and time to actually get it done. Advertising needs to be consistent for it to make a lasting impression on your target market. If you cannot be consistent than be sure to sub out the work to an assistant, VA or marketing agency.

     

     

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  • How to Actively Set Goals

    Goal SettingHave you ever set goals but then found that maybe they were too vague?  While vague goals may seem more achievable, they do not provide the inspiration that more specific goals do.  For example, you might set a goal to sell more this month than you did last month.  But what does that really mean? Do you want to sell $10 more or $1000? Either will make it seem that you have achieved that goal.  But which one would be more preferable, right?

     

    The better way to reach a goal is to make it measurable.  The measurement doesn’t necessarily have to be a dollar amount.  It could be a percentage increase to your profits by next month, or a number of website visitors or mailing list subscribers you would like to reach in a certain amount of time.

     

    You Don’t Want to Get Stuck in Your Comfort Zone

     

    It’s a great feeling to meet your goals, isn’t it?  It’s even better to meet them regularly.  But if you are exceeding each and every one of your goals all the time then it may be time to aim higher.

     

    Some people will set themselves up with easy goals that they can attain so that they don’t scare themselves. But in doing so, they don’t motivate themselves as much as they could.  And that may lead them to not working up to their potential.

    comfort zone

    Instead of setting goals that you know you can achieve, consider stretching yourself a bit.  You know that saying, “Step outside your comfort zone”. Start out small if it makes you more comfortable but not too comfortable!  If you meet the slightly loftier goal, make the next one a little more ambitious, and continue this pattern with each goal that is reached.  Before you know it, you will be in awe at what you are achieving!

     

    Give Yourself Time for Goal Setting

     

    Running a business is hard work, I know. It’s not uncommon to get so caught up in day-to-day operations that we forget to make goals.  But if we avoid this crucial step, we miss out on an opportunity to evaluate how we are doing and give ourselves new things to aim for.

    setting time
    Setting up time to determine our goals is well worth the effort.  Adjusting long-term goals and setting short-term ones at regular intervals is time well spent.  A good time for goal setting is at the beginning or end of each month or whenever it works best for your schedule.  If you have a team be sure to get them involved in the process.

    Setting new goals should be an ongoing process.  It is important to reward yourself for reaching goals, but it is equally important to continue to set new, higher ones.  The more goals you reach and the higher they are, the more you can reward yourself. Now that sounds like fun, right?

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  • 11 Ways to Include QR Codes within Your Business

    QR ReaderIf you have a smart phone then you probably have an app that converts QR codes known as a reader. This reader converts the QR code so that you can obtain the information that is stored. If the information stores a website then you are taken to that web address. If it contains text then you will automatically see it.

     

    So exactly what is a QR code? Well QR stands for quick response and it’s a two-dimensional barcode that can be printed and displayed in a variety of locations to help drive prospects to online resources. When used properly, they can enhance your marketing campaigns and increase brand awareness.

     

    When using QR codes remember that codes need to be located where they will get the most targeted action. If you’re targeting surfers, you’ll want your code placed where surfers will see it. Here are some placement locations that you may find useful in your business. 

     

    Magazines and Newspapers – When purchasing advertising in newspapers and magazines include a QR code for special offers, coupons or other promotions. If contributing an article, use a code to direct readers to your website author page.

     

    Storefronts – Windows and flat storefronts are ideal for placing QR codes. Hang a poster or self-sticking windows cling to announce store hours, customer service information and more. In-store signage and displays can be used for this as well.

     

    Product Packaging – What could be easier for consumers than having direct access to your support center right on the product packaging? A QR code can give them this. In addition, you can use codes to direct consumers to online resources such as product manuals, information on medications, instructional videos and even coupon discounts on their next order.

     

    Business Cards – Business cards are small so you can only include your basic information. With a QR code you can expand the details by linking to your website.

     

    Conferences, Tradeshows & Meet-up Material – There is so much information available at these events that it’s hard to carry everything.  Include a QR code in your display, freebies, banners, cocktail napkins and even your ID/Name Tag so prospects can retrieve your contact details easily.

     

    Instructional Manuals – Include customer support location and hours. You could also use a QR code to send people to an FAQ or web page for training tutorials.

     

    Receipts & Event Tickets – Receipts are perfect places to include a QR code for discounts on their next order. Include them on event tickets to send customers to your calendar of upcoming events.

     

    QR Codes

    ID Tags – Animal care facilities as well as pet owners can put QR codes on a pet’s ID tag. Daycares, parents and anyone working with children can add them to the child’s backpack or coat so your contact information is immediately available in case emergency. They can also be added to flyers you hang up if a pet or child goes missing.

     

    Stickers & Temporary Tattoos – Schools, scouts, youth groups and other organizations who regular take groups of children on outings can give each child a sticker or temporary tattoo encoded with a QR code so your organization can quickly be contacted if they get lost.

     

    Promotional Items & Gifts – From mouse pads to t-shirts, anything you are giving away that has a flat scannable surface can have a QR code. Include one to promote your products, services or offer a coupon for first-time buyers.

     

    Post Cards, Gift Cards & Greeting Cards – Include a QR code for free access to a digital product for your client.  Offer a code for discount on their next order. Use them to direct prospects to sign up for a free gift or to view your sales items.

     

    Maps, calendars, brochures, take-home menus and yard signage also make great places to add QR codes. 

     

    While not all of these will work for every business, there are sure to be some that will work for yours. The goal is to supply additional information and to connect with your customers and prospects in a way that is easy for them. 

     

    Ready to design one? Here is a blog post from HubSpot that you might find helpful called “How to Make a QR code in 4 Quick Steps”.

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  • Ways to Market Your Niche

    Everyone is looking for an angle.  In business today, it is important to find the right way to reach your target customers.  One way to do that is to have a product that no one else is selling in quite that same way.  This is your niche.

    We are going to talk about marketing that niche.  You will have already done your homework and found out that this is a product or service that no one else has marketed up until now.  Check out other websites that sell similar products.  A list of these may be somewhere among your files from the time you researched to find the right niche.

    Use their examples as a starting point.  Inject some of your own creativity into the equation to expand on what they have already done.  It could be a matter of adding a few extra features to your website for customers.

    What about forums?  Business forums that deal with entrepreneurs who have made money with products similar to yours can give you hints about what works.  Since there is no direct competition, they’ll be willing to help you.  Use the forum to discuss your business and make contact with people who can add to your business knowledge.

    niche marketing

    Knowledge is the key.  When niche marketing, knowing everything about that product or service you want to offer is essential to making the whole business work.  Find out who would pay more for your specialized service and where those people are.  Knowing where they are will guide your marketing strategy for reaching them.

    What if you have found a product that no one has tapped yet?  It could be a rare book business or a special component in your product that makes it more valuable.  If the demand is there, acquiring those items would be worth the extra time, effort, and expense.

    Identify the places where your products will sell best.  You can promote the items on your website, but that is not the only place to market your wares.  What about a marketplace like eBay?  When you have found just the right niche, you can expand to increase your profits even more.

    What services would complement that product?  Additional services drive up the value of your product.  Take the time to cultivate these services and further cement the relationship with your existing clientele.

    Now that your product is selling, increase the field.  Global marketing of your niche is the ultimate.  Write expert content and submit it to magazines online and in print.  Let others know that you are the foremost authority on that product.

    What is your niche?  Are you doing everything that you know to do to promote that product or service?  Maybe the above suggestions will help you to fine-tune and expand your profits.  If you need more guidance contact me I can help.

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  • How Blogging Can Help Build Your Local Business

    Blogging
    Today, marketing has many more elements outside of the traditional yellow pages, newspaper, radio and TV advertisements. Local businesses can take advantage of many different types of Internet or online marketing just like national businesses can. In fact, most shoppers go online today to research products before they buy them. I know my family does. How about you? And, did you know that most searches for products online result in an offline purchase?

     

    This means that you need to have a website. And in order for search engines to send shoppers your way, you also need to have a blog on your website. Don’t be tempted to create a free blog with Blogger, or WordPress.com; instead, add a blog to your website using the open source self-hosted WordPress. It’s the same software that WordPress.com runs off of and is just as easy to use. The difference is that you load it on your own server along with your website (and it can even be used to make your entire website). You own all aspects of your blog, and no one can tell you what you can and cannot write on it. The best part is that you can monetize it. Which means you can sell products and services!

     

    Most businesses who embark on blogging for marketing find that they don’t even need some of the other expensive advertising that they were doing before. Many stop paying for the expensive Yellow Pages display, and slow down their newspaper and TV advertising substantially because using online marketing and blogging to do that online marketing works so well. There are many reasons for this but a few are that it costs less, reaches more people, and is measurable.blogging

     

    Through your blog you’ll be able to connect with people who want to do business with you. You’ll be able to covert readers of your blog to happy customers who remain with you long term. In fact, they may become fans of your business and help promote you online too by sharing your blog posts and other online marketing information. As a regular blogger you’ll become the online authority for your products and/or services. People will see you as an expert and go to you for advice.

     

    A blog added to your website will allow for easy content uploading, attract search engines, and offer your visitors the information they crave while building trust with your audience. Not only that; you’ll be able to study the metrics yourself to see how many visitors you have, who is interacting with your blog, and more. As mentioned earlier you will be the owner of your content if you build your blog on a self-hosted WordPress platform in addition to your website.

     

    If you have a website out there without a blog, you’re spending too much time and wasted effort. A website alone will not attract search engine traffic that can convert visitors into customers. Your website cannot get at the top of the search engine all by itself. Why? Because Google loves fresh content so you must have a blog that is updated frequently, and it must be interactive (i.e. allow comments on the blog) to be truly effective. If you want a lot of visitors to your website that you can convert to real business, start blogging today.

     

    If you need help with blogging, content or website development let us know. We build WordPress sites but also offer a variety of services that help you build your business.

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  • The Challenge of Keeping up with the Latest Marketing Trends

    Trends
    Staying on top of the latest marketing trends can present quite a challenge. I’m sure that if you have been in business for a while you are aware of that challenge. With that being said, there are a few ways that you can stay on top of the marketing game and make sure you are using the most up-to-date methods of marketing your business.

     

    As a business, it is essential to make your presence known. Keeping a professional website is the first step of course. Your website is the “storefront” for your business and this is what actually sets the tone for those that express an interest in your business and what you have to offer. Make sure your website is search engine optimized (SEO) and mobile friendly.

     

    Let’s look at some tactics that you can use that will help you know what marketing opportunities exist and how you can keep your business marketing one step ahead.

    trending

     

    Having a perfectly optimized website is awesome, but make sure you gain the right exposure. Here are some ways you can find out more about the latest and greatest marketing opportunities available for you and your business:

     

    • Visit Internet marketing forums and blogs.

    Interact with others in the community and read posts by others regarding marketing methods they have tried or those they intend to try. If you see a new opportunity that arises, take advantage of it if it works for your type of business.

     

    • Participate in conferences.

      This will allow you to meet other people, many of whom are right on top of the game. This is a great way to gain useful insight and information that will prove to be invaluable for you and your business.

     

    • Take time to network with other business marketers.

      Share information with others and gather information from those who are trying to do the same thing you are. This allows you to stay on top of the latest marketing trends, and extract information from others as to their experiences with certain methods.

     

    • Research is one of the most important actions you can take that will help you gain knowledge about current marketing trends.

      Put your research skills to use and find information about the newest marketing trends. If anything in life is certain, it’s the fact that marketing trends are always changing. Keeping up-to-date can really be like a rat race if you don’t do your homework and commit time and effort in keeping up with the changes presented into today’s marketing world.

     

    • Make yourself readily available for change. Be resilient and flexible.

      Don’t forget what the main goals of your business really are. Think outside the box. Those are all ways of motivating yourself to entire ownership of the actions you take in marketing your business.

     

    Your success really is based on your efforts in putting your business name right in front of your intended audience. Using the information given will give you the insight and knowledge you need in order to help you keep up with the latest marketing trends for your business.

     

    Don’t have time to keep up with the marketing trends and information out there? Outsource your marketing to us. We are a full service online marketing firm ready and able to help you with all your marketing pain points.

    Get Started

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • How Group Learning Events Can Add to Your Bottom Line

    webinars
    Do you ever wonder why some businesses host so many webinars, seminars and online workshops? The reason may surprise you. The truth is that these group learning events can generate big profits. Let’s take a look at what live learning events are and how they can help you increase your bottom line.

     

    Group Learning Events

     

    Group learning events are just that – they’re events that are usually held online and they’re designed to teach a subject to a group of people. Webinars, organized social chats, and Yahoo group conferences are just a few examples of group learning events. People organize at a specific time to learn about and discuss a topic.

     

    Why Are These Events so Profitable?

     

    There are many reasons why group learning events are profitable. Let’s remember first that a group of people has signed up for or joined a learning event because they’re interested in the information. They’re pre-qualified prospects. It’s significantly easier to sell to a pre-qualified prospect than it is to a cold one.

     

    Dynamic

     

    When you’re teaching a large group, there’s a connection to your audience that is much different than what they’d receive by simply visiting your website. You’re talking to them. You may be interacting and answering questions as well. There’s a different dynamic. Assuming the prospect already likes you and you have established credibility, then they’re much more likely to take the next step – your call to action – at the end of the event.

     

    Speaking of Credibility…

     

    Group learning events put you in the position of teacher. In general, we give a certain degree of authority and credibility to our teachers. We believe what they tell us, for the most part, and we respect their knowledge. Credibility, authority, and liking are all buying triggers. We buy from people we like; people who we believe are credible sources of information, and people we believe to be experts or authorities on their subject.

    online events
    The Next Step Is Easy

     

    Most group learning events are set up so that they deliver only a portion of the information. To gain the full value, an attendee needs to take the next step. For example, if you attend an online seminar about how to use Twitter to market your romance novel, you’ll probably be willing or interested in buying a book or course on how to market your romance novel. Assuming the teacher delivered valuable information, you’ll be interested in gaining more of it.

     

    Finally, there is some immediacy to a group learning event. The call to action is usually a special deal offered for only those who attended the event, and it’s only available for a limited time. So your prospects feel as if they belong to a special group and there is a time limit on the offer. These two triggers often motivate more sales. But remember this deal has to be exclusive and not one you offer all the time. It could be a deep discount or a product specifically put together for only this specific event.

     

    If you’re seeking a nice boost in profits, consider planning and hosting a live event. This may turn into your most profitable marketing tactic.

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  • Success with Webinars

    webinars

    Webinars offer the ultimate in online collaboration. They make use of audio, video and a variety of other technologies to create an interactive experience that’s almost as good as meeting in person. And with today’s fast internet speeds and inexpensive hosting services, just about anyone with a computer and webcam can have one.

     

    Still, a successful webinar requires a great deal of thought and preparation. You must come up with a good topic, choose a capable presenter and put together an itinerary. You have to promote it to attract the right audience and make sure you’re giving them the information they’re looking for. It’s a lot of work, so before you jump in it’s important to make sure that a webinar is the appropriate avenue for your message.

     

    Here are some of the situations in which webinars are most effective:

    Interactive Training – Training can often be accomplished via email, recorded video or a conference call. But in some cases, live, interactive video works best. Participants can follow along with you, asking questions every step of the way. This type of webinar works best with a limited number of participants.

     

    Product Demonstrations – Bricks and mortar businesses often hold demonstrations to show consumers what their products can do. If you sell online, a webinar can accomplish the same goals. It’s better than recorded video because you can interact with viewers and answer their questions right away. You can also record the webinar and post it to your site so that those who are unable to attend can see what they missed.

     

    Focus Groups – Businesses often use focus groups to refine their products, services and marketing efforts. They choose participants from their target market and show them ads or presentations, then ask questions and allow free discussion to see how they react. Online focus groups work well for online business owners because they allow people to participate without regard to geographic location.

     

    Establishing Yourself as an Expert – Online marketers often hold webinars as a means of establishing themselves as experts in their respective fields. This format offers a number of advantages. It allows customers to put a face and personality with their name, increasing trust. It also makes it possible to share information in a variety of ways and gives participants the opportunity for interactive discussion.

    Webinars can be helpful throughout the sales cycle, from finding new prospects who may be interested in your coaching or products. They allow you to connect with your audience in ways that are impossible though email and other methods.

    cover3d_1429483369Want to learn more about webinar basics?
    Check out our eBook “Webinar Basics” for only $9.95.

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  • 3 Ways to Make Money with Your Blog



    Face it, the reason you want to be a great blogger is to grow your business and make more money, right? Of course, you do. In order to make money from your blog you will need to find ways to monetize your blog. If you do not offer anything for sale on your blog the money fairies will not automatically you give you money just because you’re an excellent blogger.

     

    You have to do things that enable you to earn money. You have many options but let’s just talk about three of them.

     

    • Your Own Products / Services

     

    One of the best ways to make the most money is to offer your own products and / or services. In order to know what type of products or services to sell to your audience you must know who your audience is, what problems they have that you can solve, and how much they can afford to pay. This requires a lot of market study, thought and consideration, but it’s the most profitable way to make money from your self-hosted blog. With your own products you can even get affiliates to help you sell them.

     

     

    • Advertising

    3 Ways to Make Money with Your Blog

    You can earn money placing advertising on your blog. You can work with a company, or you can work on getting the sponsors yourself. There are many options when it comes to placing advertisements on your site. The drawback to going with a company is that you are not usually in charge of which ads appear on your website and there could be cases where competitors’ ads appear. If you are in control of which ads appear, you’ll be better off. You want to be careful about sending your visitors off to other sites. Some ad networks do allow you to block some ads, and some don’t. Therefore check out each solution before signing up.

     

    • Affiliate Marketing

     

    Another really great way to make money from your blog is to find products and services that solve problems for your audience that someone else made. Once you find the product or service you market it on your site via textual ads, graphic ads, and by blogging about the product or service so that your audience understands what’s in it for them if they purchase what you are recommending. You can’t just put the link on your blog and expect them to click it and buy it; you need to talk about it in multiple ways: blog about it, promote it on social media, mention the product in a webinar or podcast, and so forth.

    As you see, there really isn’t just one way to make money. In fact you should choose more than one type of money making activity for your blog. You want to create multiple streams of income so that you are not just relying on one thing to make money. Within each category there are also multiple ideas from very low cost entry products, to very high cost one-on-one coaching and personal services that you can offer. Be very focused on the type of products you will offer your audience and you will earn money and become a profitable blogger.

    Need help with your blogging? If so, contact me I offer coaching for business blogging.

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  • Protecting Your WordPress Content

    Protecting Your WordPress Content
    Online security is a big concern for many online businesses today. How can you protect the hard work that you have put into your WordPress blog and site? How can you try and keep people from stealing your content?

     

    Unfortunately, “scraping” is what can happen.  This is when someone takes the content from your website and uses it as theirs by posting it on their website. Most people don’t even know that they have been scraped until they see the duplicate content or they have problems with search engine rankings because of it.

     

    Protect yourself from the beginning so you don’t become a victim yourself. You’ve worked too hard to build your reputation and your optimized content to have it tampered with. 

     

    Protecting Yourself and Your Content

     

    The reality is that you can’t stop someone who is set on stealing from you with any reliability unless you put safeguards in place.

     

    Here are some tips to get you all set up. Keep in mind at posting that these were up to date with the current WordPress version. We recommend that you always read about any plugin before you consider using them. Sometimes plugins don’t always play nice so always backup your site before trying new plugins.  This list represents some available plugins but there are more options. Visit WordPress for more information.

     

    * WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click –

    This WordPress plug-in protects the post content from being copied by any other site author. The plugin will keep your posts and homepage protected by multiple techniques (Java Script + CSS). According to the developer no one else offers this technique in any other plugin.

    *WP Secure Image – 

    This WordPress plug-in allows you to copy and protect your images. Protects from right click mouse saves, drag-in-drop, site grabbers and page save.

    Protecting Your WordPress Content

    *Copy Protect Web Pages and Media –

    This WordPress plug-in uses encrypted images to copy protect all media including image, Flash, PDF and video from right-click-saving and mouse-drag and prevent print screen and screen capture. This plugin can add copy protection to any page or post by simply adding a small CopySafe encrypted image.

     

    * Easy Mark –

    This WordPress plug-in can automatically add watermark to images as they are uploaded to your WordPress media library. You can also watermark existing images manually (all at once or an every single image). Watermark can be an image, text or both.

     

    Protecting your website information is vital to your reputation and also making sure that someone else doesn’t profit from your hard work. So take the first step today and research into ways to save your content. Prevention is essential when running an online business.

     

    Have questions or need help with your website development or security? We can help contact us today. Use our contact form below.

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