1969 December

December 1969
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
		Jun »
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Archive for December, 1969

Add Integrated Marketing To Your Marketing Mix

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/12/add-integrated-marketing-to-your.html’; tweetmeme_source = ‘RT @mfleischner’;

The combination of online marketing and offline marketing can give you a real bang for your buck. It’s pretty common today to find companies running well integrated marketing campaigns that include online advertising like PPC with offline campaigns. This combination is ideal for anyone who is building their brand and driving leads for a particular product or service.

Getting Started With Integrated Marketing

Perhaps you’re running marketing campaigns across multiple media. Even if you’re using something as simple as the Yellow Pages from a print perspective, there’s usually a corresponding form of online marketing that can enhance results.

One of the easiest ways to take advantage of an integrated campaign is use direct mail with a corresponding landing page. For example, I recently worked with a local retailer who was trying to bring more people into their store during the holiday season. My recommendation was to mail out post cards to past customers and nearby prospects that contained an offer.

The post card contained a special offer on select merchandise available in the store. To get a full list of applicable products that could be purchased during the promotional period, users were given a URL to a specially designed landing page. They could print a special coupon by visiting the URL included on the postcard. The web page included additional merchandise, specific information about the promotion, and an opportunity to sign up for special offers. This resulted in a number of outcomes including increased foot traffic and a list of emails that could be used for promotional purposes.

Start Small and Build From There

Creating an integrated marketing program is not an easy thing. All aspects of your campaign need to be well planned and tracked. Often times I see companies working towards integrated marketing only to give it an effort that is partially thought through. When asking consumers to go from an off line piece of marketing (an ad, a post card, a brochure) to an online information or offer, marketers are wise for focus on their audience and product or service benefits.

The best thing you can do is to start with a small campaign. Perhaps your campaign is similar to the retail example above. Or, perhaps you start with a special offer that is communicated via a flyer or newspaper ad. Your landing page needs to be designed with the specific offer in mind. Driving individuals to your home page is a waste of money.

Integrated marketing is only successful is you are relevant. Your messaging must be consistent both online and off. In addition, the look and feel of your offer and landing page should be as consistent as possible. This improves the user experience and enhances conversion rates. When beginning with a small campaign, it’s easier to get the details right and see success.

Split Test and Tracking

Whether you’re running a traditional print campaign or an online marketing program, it’s best to be in a mode of continual testing. Start with a split test. Change your headline, experiment with a different offer, or change your copy. Regardless of which element you choose, split testing sets you up for future winning campaigns.

Track your results using basic web tracking like Google Analytics. To make the most of your integrated campaign, you’ll need a way to track whether your web visitors arrived directly from your promotion. By driving users to a specific URL identified in your direct marketing piece or ad, you’ll be able to measure web traffic. Additionally, require a special promotional code to be entered on your order form. In combination, you’ll have a number of data points that provide valuable information about your promotion.

Integrated marketing can work extremely well if your concept is simple and well executed. Start with a well thought through plan that is easily implemented. The effectiveness of any direct campaign is largely based on the offer and you’re list. Creative has less impact on the overall success of your campaign. So get started and be sure to test your campaign, comparing it to the effectiveness of your other marketing initiatives. You may find that integrated marketing has a better result than other forms of marketing on their own.

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Why Gen-Y Is Going To Win The Branding War

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/12/why-gen-y-is-going-to-win-branding-war.html’;

When Michael invited me to write a post on his site, I wanted to talk about some of the changes that are happening online and the speed in which everything is moving. As an outspoken member of Gen-Y (you know the Under 30 crowd), we are experiencing this change and adapting quicker than ever.

The Million Dollar Mint

Take a look at young entrepreneurs like Aaron Patzer of Mint.com who recently sold out to Intuit, maker of finance products like Quicken and Quickbooks. Aaron saw a gap in the way personal finance was being handled and created a solution. A good solution. And he did it fast. He did it using technologies like the iPhone, where the Mint.com app is regularly in the top 10 free finance apps. He did it by using customer service through Twitter. And the older generation had to play catch up, or rather buy out the fast kid with the great ideas.

Next on the list are heavy hitters like Matt Mullenweg, creator of WordPress. This young gun changed the way many people develop websites, manage content and keep clients, fans and web browsers up to date on happenings in the world of the content creator. Next to him is Mark Zuckerberg, king of social networking after besting Myspace sometime last year.

These young people understand the information age in which we live, where information is extremely valuable and the price tag on data jumps significantly higher than the $15 for a CD or $20 for a DVD model that is slowing fading away and crushing long standing business models.

Gen-Y Speed Branding

With the increased speed in building a brand, the way in which people find you in more important than ever. There is no better way to be found, both cost effectively and conversion wise than from the Google. I say the Google, because they have more than transformed the way the web works. From simple searches back in the early 2000′s to buying video sites, serving more ad dollars than any company on the planet and having more access to data than the government (opinion, but I really do believe it).

Young people have found that being on Google’s good side can bring more than traffic to their website. Through topics like personal branding, college grads are starting to make a name for themselves that will have employers calling them before the ink dries on their diploma, getting clients without much work experience and having the opportunity to network with people all over the world, due to niche writing, blogging and having a case of the “curious.”

The Internet has been around for nearly the entire lifespan of younger Gen-Y’s and mobile technologies are in more hands than anyone could have ever imagined, to the tune of 4-1 over internet enable computers.

How To Rock Google In The Branding Space

Get a great domain name. With the availability of vanity names (facebook.com/yourbrand. twitter.com/yourbrand), it is more important than ever to have a home base that you control. Buy a domain and send all your traffic there. Build it as a home for recent articles, your products and services and use it to build your brand, your email list and RSS subscribers.

Grab up the vanity URL’s. If you want to own a brand name, than you really need to own it. After you grab a rocking domain, go and signup for the popular social networks and start getting active. This includes YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Brazen Careerist (the latter for the Gen-Y crowd). By getting active on these platforms, you will build a fanbase, great links back to home base and start to dominate the top page in Goolge.

Create killer content. The last step is to get out there and create great content that people are going to want to share, link to and tell their friends about. This should include videos, audios (Podcasts), reports, presentations, images and blog posts. Share them with your followers, your customers, your mailing list and anywhere else that people would find value. Good content spreads. Good content is found by search engines and good content can make your brand stand out!

Your brands can compete with Gen-Y! The challenge is to get out there and outperform us. Work harder. Work smarter. Then cash out for $170 million to an older, slower company like Aaron from Mint. Not a bad exit strategy, huh?

This post was written by Greg Rollett. Join the Rock Star Business Series to learn more about branding yourself or your business. Greg blogs about lifestyle design.

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Alternatives To Discounting: How NOT To Lower Your Price This Holiday Season

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/12/alternatives-to-discounting-how-not-to.html’;

This holiday season, everyone is looking for a bargain. Or at least it seems like discounts are driving the economic train. From a marketing perspective, nothing is more frightening than an endless loop of discounting. Take stores like Bed, Bath, & Beyond. Chances are that you’ve been hit with more than one of their 20% discount coupons. What if all the coupons were to stop? You might consider going to their competition. This is largely because you’ve been conditioned to shop at that store using a coupon.

What’s the alternative?

I’m often asked, “What is the alternative to discounting?” I think the more important question is, “How can I create more value?” By creating more value for your prospects, and ultimately your customers, price becomes less significant. For example, let’s take store A. Store A is offering a 20% discount on a towel set. These towels are available at just about any kitchen or bath store and even the big box retailers. Store B decides they want to move quantities of the towel set as well. But instead of discounting, they bring in an interior decorator to give a free “color match” seminar titled, “How to choose the right towels that make your home look like an expensive spa retreat!”

Assuming that Store A and Store B spend the same on advertising to promote their offers, store B will likely attract a similar quantity of prospects and may even have a higher percentage of sales. Regardless, they are building a pattern of value versus a pattern of consistent discounting. The endless loop of discounting is just that, endless – reducing margins and increasing prices. Very few retailers or online service providers can sustain the discounting tactic.

Think of ways to provide value to your audience. Yes, some people are solely motivated by a discount, but these aren’t the types of customers you truly want. Customers who see the value in what you’re offering and are willing to buy without added motivation become loyal repeat purchasers and advocates for your product, service, or store. Get creative, experiment with new and different ways to create value for your customers. The result will be long term customers who help you grow your business.

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Internet Marketing: Begin From Where You Are

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/12/internet-marketing-begin-from-where-you.html’;

Last week I did a Webinar on “How to get your first 1,000 visitors for free”. Special thanks for Mark Roth from Offer Vault who had me on as a guest. As an experiment, I gave my email out to participants so they could ask Internet marketing questions. I received about a dozen or so questions and came to an interesting conclusion.

Each of us is in a different place when it comes to Internet marketing. Some people are just starting out while others are much more advanced. For example, in the area of SEO, I was asked, “where is the best place to buy a domain name” to “does having an individual IP address for each affiliate web site have a direct impact search rankings?”

It just goes to show that each of us may be at a different stage in our online marketing career(s). As a result, it’s my advice to find resources that are appropriate for different stages of marketing. Whether you are focus on marketing as a whole (American marketing association) or SEO (SEOmoz), there are plenty of resources targeted to your current level of expertise.

Always keep learning

I think the most important thing to keep in mind is to always keep learning. Even as someone with 13 years of internet marketing experience, I am still listening to other people’s webinars, reading their articles, and blog posts. This is important because one person can’t know everything there is to know about Internet marketing.

Ask for help

Sometimes, even I get stuck. That’s why I depend on resources like the Internet marketing forum to get answers to my most difficult marketing questions. Not only can I ask questions, but contribute on topics aligned with my expertise.

Learn from doing

The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn by doing. Today, marketing online doesn’t take much of an investment. I have learned the most by listening, reading, and then doing. It’s great if you have help, but if not, don’t hesitate to try something online. Whether it’s SEO, PPC marketing, or affiliate marketing, you’re going to gain valuable insight into what you’re trying to accomplish.

Don’t be concerned if you’re just starting out. Now is the best time to be engaged with Internet marketing. Find a resource that works for you and engage. Over time, you’ll be so knowledgeable about Internet marketing that others will seek out your advice!

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Online Webinars Are Everywhere – Start Your Own

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/11/online-webinars-are-everywhere-start.html’;

Chances are that you’ve received at least one invitation to an online webinar in the last few weeks. In fact, you’ve probably attended one in the last six months. Online webinars are taking the marketing community by storm – and for good reason. Sharing information online is one of the best ways to teach others about a particular topic and is rather easy to implement on your own.

I recently launched an online SEO training webinar ( shameless plug;) ) and set it up in a single day. I finally broke down and decided to offer this option of online learning because demand has outstripped supply. Webinars allow you and your business to serve many customers at once, breaking the limitations of one-on-one training. This concept of scale is not new but certainly makes it much easier to serve all those in need of specific information simultaneously.

Here are the simple steps I used to set up my own webinar and which you can follow now:

1. Register for a free trial with GoToWebinar.com. Some basic registration information is needed, a simple download, and you’re ready to go.

2. Create a customized registration page. GoToWebinar offers a number of options for creating your own registration page.

3. Settings. Choose the settings that work best for your event. Because my event is only for a limited number of individuals and requires a registration fee, I selected an option that allows me to redirect to a payment page before attendance information is provided. I’ve also listed all of the free bonuses that I’m giving away to each registered user on this page as well.

4. Set up payment page. If you are requiring a payment for your webinar, set up a Paypal page to request payment and redirect to the appropriate confirmation page.

5. Post information about your event. In addition to a registration button include information about your event on your website or blog. Doing so make registration easy for those interested. Be sure to provide detailed information about the event (ex: SEO training) and a clear way for users to register.

6. Monitor your account. Prior to your event, log in to your GoToWebinar account on a regular basis. You may need to approve registrants, respond to inquiries, or send emails to registrants.

If you don’t have much experience with webinars, I encourage you to open an account and go through the process of setting up a webinar. You’ll never truly learn how to effectively give a webinar unless you take one on. Don’t be frightened. The process is simple and the support is there. I called GoToWebinar on two separate occasions and they were able to help. Good luck!!!

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

The Gift – Savvy Merchant: A Must for Independent Retailers, Restaurateurs and Service Establishments

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

Guest post by John S. Harris

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/11/gift-savvy-merchant-must-for.html’;

It’s Thanksgiving Week and holiday decorations, seasonal recipes, holiday sales and special promotions start to scream at all of us. The charge is underway, and a big chunk of the action every holiday season is that special currency known as gift certificates, or gift cards. How does the independent merchant compete with the chains to make the most of the opportunity?

The answer for the independent is the same as it’s always been. Focus on your customer base. This is a strong suit for independents, many of whom tend to personally know or at least recognize their best customers. These are your most loyal, most frequent, most spending, or some combination therein. These folks also represent your referral marketing network. The holiday season is the perfect time to engage and reward them. Though it helps greatly to utilize an online gift certificate service, it’s not essential.

What is essential is to re-think your gift certificate or gift card strategy to do two things: reward your fan base; and reward the potential new fans they bring into your orbit.Gift Certificates and Gift Cards have obvious and well known advantages, foremost amongst them being cash in the bank well before the sale that ultimately credits against it. But their less hyped advantages lie in their inherent viral marketing properties. Gifts are all about giving, of course, and there’s always a Buyer, and a Recipient involved – two consumers, not one.

Turning one consumer into two consumers is the very definition of viral marketing. Therefore, every single sale of a gift certificate is an outstanding shot at a viral marketing win.

So here are some suggestions for making the most of your gift certificate or gift card opportunities.

Issuance and Redemption Basics: Get the nuts and bolts in place for the rush. You cannot afford to make it difficult or time-consuming for consumers to either buy, or redeem, gift currencies from your business. If you’ve already got a system in place, then good for you. If not, I’ve put together a table (inset, below) that lays out the basics of the commercial gift world – the tools accessible to you to work the gift business.

• Treat Gift Buyers and Redeemers THE BEST. Sure, you and your staff treat everyone well, but the folks buying and redeeming are the best existing, and potentially best new, customers. Viral!
• Make Them Available Online. It’s a must that customers can buy them 24X7 and frankly, it’s a pretty basic courtesy. Widespread, cheap and easy; see the table of online gift certificate services (below), if you’re not already there.
• Stock Up. A one-dollar gift card can be sold for easily one hundred times that amount, or more. Not a time to get caught short on either your paper or mag-stripe gift stock.
• Train The Troops. You and your staff must be fluent in the sale, and redemption cycle, particularly the POS part of it. It costs nothing to set up some practice sessions.
• Review Your Denominations. Maybe you’ve been selling $10 certificates or cards for years, but your average check is $16. Does that make sense?
• Know the Law. Every state is different, but there’s been a flurry of both state and federal legislation in the past two years. Go to http://www.consumersunion.org/, for a great summary.

Marketing Basics: It is crucial to let your customers and employees know about your gift offerings. Some inexpensive (or free), direct marketing programs that you can make happen in a couple of days:

• Eye-catching Signs or Posters:
• “Gift Certificates Available – On-Line or In-Store at…”
• Table or Counter Displays. Same message
• Staff Buttons. Fast and cheap, a million places online can create them for you overnight
• Flyers:
-Start putting a simple flyer into every bag or box; in every check-presenter, etc.
• Add to Voice Mail message:
-“Our gift certificates are available 24X7 online…”; or “We’re open special hours this year to provide gift certificates…”
• Add simple text at the bottom of your receipts or invoices
• Staff Training. It’s easy to simply mention that you offer gift certificates or gift cards

Promotion Plan: Work the gift business both online (see table of online gift certificate services, below) and offline. Some proven strategies include:

• Give Free Gift Certificates to your best customers. Send them via mail or email, an actual Gift Certificate / Card with a personal message, e.g.,”Thanks for you business over the years.” Make sure you do it in a way that makes it very easy for the recipient to re-gift it if they want. Most recipients will spend more on the back-end, both in purchases and in referral business. If you’re too busy, some companies will do a special run of Gift Certificates complete with personalized messaging and complete fulfillment for a very small fee.

• Buy a Gift Certificate / Get a Gift Certificate. This promotion rewards the purchaser with an additional, or separate, gift of their own. This is particularly effective with office administrators, because when the purchaser buys a $50 gift card/certificate, they would typically receive a $10 one for themselves. The big chains do very well with this strategy – Smith & Wollensky’s is one of many examples of what a proven technique it is. Online gift certificate systems (see table below) are particularly adept at automating this and capturing all the buyer and recipient info.

• Presuming you already have some form of customer list or database, this is the season to think more professionally about how it needs to be happening all year long. You do not want to win new customers without capturing some basic contact info about them! Get your website up to speed on this. Ask whoever handles your website to add a simple online form for customers to join your mailing list – it’s trivial and very inexpensive.

• Send a follow-up “Thank You” via email or personal note to recipient and giver after redemption. If the recipient is a first time customer, thank them for coming to your store and reinforce your goal of personal service and product selection. Also, send a ‘Thank You” to the buyer for introducing a new customer to you and sending a best customer back to you. This simple courtesy is worth its’ weight in gold.

Gift Systems. It’s a brave new world out there as far as online gift certificate services are concerned. Your most successful competitors are already there. If you’re not, it’s never too late. Most of the systems today can be up and running in literally one or two days. I put this table together to try and simplify a pretty complicated industry. There are billion-dollar vendors and tiny start-ups in this space, and hundreds of companies. So this is merely my attempt to clarify what’s out there.

Check out the “Landscape of Online Gift Certificate Services Available to Small Businesses” here…

About The Author – John S. Harris has been a small business consultant for over twenty years. A former owner and operator himself, John is a principal in Lynch + Harris, a consulting firm specializing in operations management and marketing communications that helps independent restaurants and retailers expand their business and improve their operations. John can be reached at ircharris@gmail.com

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Be Part Of My Next Book

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

A couple of months ago, one of my readers was inquiring about the techniques I reveal in my top selling SEO book, SEO Made Simple. Specifically, she wanted to know how I learned the techniques that I share for achieving top search engine rankings quickly and easily.

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/11/be-part-of-my-next-book.html’;

After some discussion, she asked me about my involvement with pay-per-click (PPC) marketing. Then it dawned on me. Could there really be a need to simplify the process of making money with PPC as there is for SEO? After reaching out to a few of the individuals I’ve worked with in the past and getting feedback through blog posts, Twitter, social networking, and so on, there definitely seems to be a wealth of knowledge on pay-per-click marketing.

That is to say, there’s too much information out there. If you’re like me, you’ve probably bought a whole bunch of “get rich quick” schemes about PPC advertising. There are tons of courses, ebooks, and webinars on the subject but I wasn’t able to find an authoritative guide that says, “To make money with PPC, do this, then this..”. As a result, I’ve decided to write my next book about PPC marketing.

Here’s where you come in..

Do you have any specific questions regarding PPC advertising? Have you failed? Have you been successful? I want to hear about it. I might even use you as a case study in my book. Let me know about your experiences and needs as an Internet marketer. It is my intention to deliver the best information with quickly and in a manner that’s easy to comprehend.

PPC Made Simple is going to be written in the same format as my first book with additional video tutorials and online resources. Let me know what you’d like covered and I’ll be sure to integrate it into this tell all guide. I’ll open up my own Google AdWords accounts and show you how I manage thousands of keywords and campaigns to sell products online.

Please submit your ideas via comments!

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Use Testimonials And Guarantees To Make Buying Decisions

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/11/use-testimonials-and-guarantees-to-make.html’;

Trying to sell something online? There are a variety of barriers, both physical and emotional that keep people from buying. Over the weekend I received a wonderful testimonial from someone who recently finished reading my book. It reminded me of the power of testimonials.

When individuals are considering a purchase, they pass through various stages in order to make a buying decision. These steps include: problem recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase decision, and post-purchase behavior. regardless of the product you’re selling, consumers move through each of these stages and they do so at varying rates.

Although you have the opportunity to differentiate yourself and your offering at any stage of the decision making process, the biggest barriers often occur when evaluating alternatives. Consumers put different weight on different elements associated with the purchase.

For example, someone may be considering two different automobiles and each has features not offered by the other. However, some of those features will be more important. Perhaps one car offers a bumper to bumper warranty and the other offers none. If this is one of the most important decision criteria, other criteria that are not met are often overlooked.

To help consumers overcome obstacles and make a buying decision, differentiate your offering and remove risk. These are some of the most powerful tools you can use from a marketing perspective to improve purchase behavior. Testimonials are a powerful way to give the impression of risk reduction. When consumers see the value others have received, they begin to lower their guard. Add a no-hassle guarantee and much of the risk is removed.

Testimonials are powerful when users can find others in similar situations (had the same need or problem) that were helped by your solution. We buy based on references. So create references that support your business. Ask customers for testimonials and publish them to your web site(s), emails, and brochures.

Remove risk with a guarantee that’s clear and meaningful. I recommend testing your offers with a guarantee versus no guarantee. No-hassle guarantees are similar to rebates in that they are rarely abused but do a lot to lower purchase barriers.

Reassure your prospects that they are going to make the right decision. Testimonials and guarantees are essential for giving them buying confidence and security. Cultivate testimonials and add a guarantee to your offering to grow revenue and improve conversions.

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Organic Marketing Takes Hold: Social Media On The Brain

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

tweetmeme_url = ‘http://marketing-expert.blogspot.com/2009/11/organic-marketing-takes-hold-social.html’;

This week I had the honor of presenting with fellow consultant Kristina Dooley at the Independent Educational Consulting Association in Charlotte North Carolina. And one thing is for sure. These folks had social media on the brain! We had a great presentation filled with independent consultants, private secondary schools, and college administrators all wondering how they could use social media to improve their business.

Whether you’re looking to generate traffic to your website or generate qualified leads of some kind, social media is where it’s at. Our presentation covered all aspects of social media using a new term we coined called “Organic Marketing“. I derived this concept of organic marketing after hearing Kristina talk about the impact that social media has on ones brand.

What does your social media say about you? Have you done a Google search for your name, your business’s name, or institution? If you haven’t lately, I advise you to do so. When others are searching for you online what will they see? More often than not, many of your results will point to social media accounts if available. If not, then you have a great opportunity to shape your online brand.

Take Kristina for example. Just Google here name Kristina Dooley and you’ll find a linked in profile, and listing on Listorious, Facebook and other social media sites. Here’s a woman who knows how to manage her brand. Consider what impact you’re having using social media. Be proactive and shape your brand using the free social media sites that are out there.

In addition to shaping your own brand consider your company’s brand. This Organic Marketing presentation provides everything you need – including some kick a$$ tools that can help you effectively manage multiple social media accounts. Good luck with your social media efforts and be sure to comment after viewing our IECA presentation on Organic Marketing!

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Blogging – An Essential Part Of The Marketing Mix

Wednesday, December 31st, 1969

It seems as though I get more and more questions about Blogging. Should my web site also have a blog? What type of blog content should I publish? How often should I publish to my blog? Can I make money with my blog? These are all really good questions and the topic of today’s post.

First, let’s start with my definition of a blog. A blog is a content rich site that allows you to post updates on a regular basis. If blogging for you is an arduous process, then you’re doing it all wrong. Blogging should be fun and should be related to your business. For example, this blog (The Marketing Blog) is all about marketing with a focus on Internet marketing. Why? Because I love it. I don’t need to get paid to write about Internet marketing because it’s a true passion.

Okay, so now you know what to blog about, let’s respond to the question “Should I have a blog?”. If you’ve met the criteria above and have something to blog about, my answer is an emphatic “YES”. Blogging is great, it’s fun and easy to do. I’ve found that it’s also a two-way street. Your followers interact with the content via comments and suggest great topics for future posts. The benefit of blogging is both personal as well as marketing-focused. By talking about your business on a regular basis you can generate positive awareness and make your offerings more appealing to your target market.

After starting your blog with Blogger or WordPress, make it accessible from your main web site. This helps in search engine placement and can drive a considerable amount of traffic to your blog. Have a clear goal in mind for your blogging with one caveat. Always use your blog to provide value. Whether through market information, content, or resources, your blog needs to give before it gets. Once you’ve set a goal for yourself commit to that goal and work towards it each and every week.

Blogging can be a great experience but you have to be willing to set specific goals and deliver value on a regular basis. If you do, over time you’ll find that blogging provides significant value to both you and your readers. Happy Blogging!!!

Source: Michael Fleischner – Marketing Expert

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off