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Use Your Social Media Presence to Increase Credibility and Establish Yourself as an Expert

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

The rising popularity of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube present a valuable opportunity for business owners.

But before we get there, let’s talk about a common misconception about social media.

Many marketers seem to believe that social media is a new development.

But social media is not new—in fact, it is thousands of years old. Digital tools like Twitter are simply the latest version.

Humans are relationally oriented… we like to talk, gossip, share experiences, and strengthen friendships. This was true in 3000 BC, and it is true today. Sure, modern technology makes connecting faster, easier, and more convenient than ever before—but  there is nothing new about our desire to connect with one another.

Understanding how social media fits into everyday life is the key to unlocking its power. Today, many people use social media like the telephone was used 20 years ago. On a daily basis, I personally use Facebook to not only share personal stories and photos but also for business tips and events. I also regularly use Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn ,YouTube as well as social bookmarking sites to share both business and personal stories.

Sharing is nothing new here. Social media doesn’t represent a mystical fourth dimension—it’s just a tool that people can use as they see fit. And once a business owner understands this reality, they can create and execute a strategy designed to engage with customers and prospects in their market.

Used correctly, a business owner’s social media presence can provide increased visibility, credibility, and ultimately more business. Here’s how to begin:

1. Create profile pages that reflect your expertise. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or another social network, it is critical that your profile page represents your personal brand (and personality) and establishes you as an expert. From the choice of your picture to your written biography, be sure that every element of your social media profiles communicate the brand and image that you want to convey.
2. Use your social media presence to share and break down developments that impact your industry. By reporting and analyzing news that matters to your industry, you position yourself as well connected and knowledgeable. For instance, as a retirement advisor, you could note the passage of a new law through congress—and then break down the implications of this new law for your clients and potential clients. As a dentist, you could break down the benefits and drawbacks of a new toothpaste or mouthwash. A real estate broker could break down recent market trends, provide projections for the future, or keep his or her audience in the loop regarding homebuyer assistance programs. Whatever your area of expertise, the key is to report and analyze the news authoritatively—and in a way that makes sense to your customers, clients, and prospects.
3. Interact with your followers and fans—answer questions and share suggestions. If you spend much time on Twitter, in particular, you will notice that users are constantly asking questions on a wide variety of subjects. As a dentist, obviously, you should pay attention to questions that pertain to oral health. Whenever possible, answer the question… or provide a link to a helpful resource. This type of interaction is a win on two fronts—most obviously, it provides a great boost to the relationship between yourself and the individual that you assist. But even more importantly, it sends a strong message to your entire audience. Answering questions makes it obvious that you know what you are talking about—and it makes you appear friendly and approachable as well.
4. Regularly share tips or hints that help your audience. Many business owners have discovered the value in publishing blog entries and articles that provide actionable tips to their audience—and this approach works well for social media networks as well, albeit on a smaller scale. As a real estate agent, for instance, you could post a “homebuyers tip of the week” every Monday. This could feature financing tips, help for buyers seeking to narrow down a huge list of homes to a small number of final choices, or whatever you think would be helpful to your audience. This is a great way to provide value to your current customers—and it’s a great way to position yourself as an expert in the eyes of your audience.
5. Engage in conversation—don’t make a sales pitch. This is an area that many business owners go off course, and the error stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of social media users. As we discussed earlier in this article, social media is a tool used to communicate. In fact, I like to think of social media networks as a giant cocktail party. You wouldn’t walk into a party shouting “I SELL INSURANCE!” at the top of your lungs, would you? More likely, you’d buy drinks for people and engage in conversation.  Obviously, it’s ideal if these conversations center upon your industry, but it’s also a good idea to invest in creating relationships with your followers and fans, even if the conversation doesn’t directly correlate to your business. Remember that “people buy people”—and that anything you can do to establish trust in a relationship is a positive.

Do you have a social media presence? If not, it’s time to get in the game! Thousands of potential customers join networks such as Facebook and Twitter every day—and if you aren’t actively seeking to engage them, you can bet that your competitors are!

If you ARE active on social media, great—but are you utilizing your presence to build credibility and position yourself as an expert within your industry? The five tips I’ve shared above will help you move in the right direction. If you’d like more information or aren’t sure where to begin, feel free to get in touch with me today!

Seven Ways Your New Website Will Revolutionize Your Business

Monday, December 19th, 2011

If you are like most business owners (myself included), you are always looking for ways to take your company to the next level. Whether it is hiring more employees, securing additional funds to invest, or launching a new marketing campaign, business owners will leave no stone unturned when it comes to growing their business. Now, in the years I’ve spent both working on my own business and working with clients, I have identified many strategies which lead to increased profitability and sustained growth. However, over that time, no investment has been more consistently successful than the creation of a dynamic, content-centered website. (and web presence in general). You may already have a website. You may even be receiving some business through your website. But don’t underestimate the value that a new, dynamic website can add to your business. Below are some of the benefits you can expect from a new, content centered website:

1) Your new website will brand you as an expert in your field. A good website is designed with the intent to make the business owner look like a celebrity within his or her market. No, you don’t need to become the next Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie—but you do need to be branded as a credible expert. If you’re a dentist, you should be positioned as the go-to guru in your market. When your customers view your website side-by-side with the website of your competition, you’ll be the easy choice! Everybody wants to work with an expert, and that’s exactly how your new website should position you.

2) Your new website will showcase your knowledge and enhance your credibility. Your new website should feature a space for your blog entries and articles—allowing you to display your knowledge of your industry. When a prospect visits your site, he or she will see that, in addition to looking like an expert, you also have the expertise to write knowledgeably on subjects that relate directly to your target market. Nothing builds credibility more efficiently than writing on topics that are relevant to your industry, and your new website should provide the perfect forum.

3) Your new website will plug you in to the exciting and fast-growing world of social media. As social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and yes, Google+ continue to explode in popularity, it is more important than ever that you and your company are engaged. Your site should be designed to be integrated into your social media presence—resulting in a vibrant, dynamic website that keeps you plugged in to the fast-paced world of social media. These days, it is not enough to have a static, standalone website. Your new website should seamlessly connect to your various social media profiles, allowing you to present exciting content to your audience across the social media universe.

4) Google will love your new website. You can have the most beautiful website the Internet has ever seen, but if Google doesn’t love it, its effectiveness will be dramatically reduced. Why? Because a sizeable percentage of the traffic to any business website results from search engines like Google. If your website doesn’t show up on the first page of Google for the right keywords, you simply aren’t going to get the traffic that you should be getting. Your new site should be designed not only to look good to humans, but also to look good to Google. By featuring expertly created content and a SEO-friendly layout, your site can attract more traffic—which ultimately translates to more business.

5) Your new website will appeal to journalists and other media members. As you probably know, media coverage can dramatically increase the level of interest in you and your business. Therefore, it makes good business sense to have a website that will appeal to the media. When reporters and journalists are looking for a source to quote or a business to feature in a story, they look for credible experts. Your site should be designed to maximize credibility—so that when a journalist visits your website, there is no doubt that they have found an expert.

6) Your new website will capture information from clients who aren’t ready to buy today—but might be next month. Too many websites are focused on generating immediate sales, to the point that if a visitor is only looking for information, he or she leaves without initiating any contact whatsoever. The reality is that many visitors to a website are only browsing, “window shopping” if you will, and have no intention of making a purchase at the time. When they see something that interests them, however, they are often interested in learning more—and therefore are willing to provide their contact information. A properly designed website will effectively capture this information. Once you have it, you can continue to provide information about your products and services as you build your relationship. When they are finally ready to commit, you will have positioned yourself perfectly to gain their business.

7) Your new website will generate leads effectively and with no effort on your part. The bottom line, when it comes to judging a business website, is lead generation. It’s not enough to simply attract traffic—your website needs to capture the information of potential customers. This requires a multi-pronged approach to site design that accomplishes several things: It must look good, and make you look good. It must present you as a credible expert in your market. It must compel your visitors to sign up for your services—or at the least, provide their contact information and request further information. And it must be optimized for maximum appeal to Google and other search engines, in order to draw potential customers. A site that accomplishes all this will be much more than simply a web page—it will be a sales machine.

If you are looking for the best way to take your business to the next level, a dynamic, content-centered website is the answer. If you’d like more information, you know where to reach me!

Building Your Business Blog Empire

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the term “blog.” If not- you might possibly be living under a rock Although I have no doubt you are aware of the term and know what it means, I’m still shocked how many sites still don’t have one… do you?

Today, blogging has become an effective way to communicate across the web as well as a great way to market yourself and/or your company. The best blogs are a delicate balance of information and personality, and that little bit of cleverness can be an excellent way to build (or reinforce) your business brand.  Blogs are a great way to get the conversation started about what you do or have to offer.

Like every other aspect of your business your blog should be “branded.” And when I say that- I don’t so much mean like a logo is branded, but rather I mean the “theme” or “tone” of the blog should be branded; what you are preaching on your blog should match your overall theme of what you are promoting from your business as a whole.

As we always say, “people buy people” and customers like to see a face behind the business name. After all, it’s what makes you unique and what will make you stand out (and above) your competition. And while personality is very important, your customers and prospects are equally interested in having up-to-date news on what’s happening in the business in general, and not just up-to-date… it really should be more specific; it’s up-to-date RELEVANT content. The best blogs are the blogs that weave personality and humor into great takeaway content. Blogs are one of THE BEST ways to brand you as the expert in your niche.

Here are 6 benefits of a business blog:

1. Expert Status. Today, the first thing someone does when making the decision to do business with a company is check them out online. A well-updated blog with valuable content is a great way to showcase your expert status to you prospects and show that you are well informed.
2. Real-time Discussion. Blogs are instantaneous and allow you to share information directly (and quickly) with your clients and prospects. They also provide a way for your clients and prospects to engage with you by leaving questions and comments on your posts.
3. Boosting Traffic with Backlinks. You don’t have to limit your blogging to just your own blog. Being a contributing blogger to traffic sites can be a great way to create quality backlinks and increase traffic.
4. Good SEO. One of the keys to SEO (search engine optimization) is to make sure your website is constantly being updated with current, relevant content. Blogs make it easy for businesses to add fresh content to their websites on a regular basis.
5. Low Cost Marketing. Blogs are a very cheap way to keep your customers informed with new products/services you are offering. They are also a wonderful way to continue building your relationship with your customers and prospects.
6. Keeps You Ahead of Your Competition. In today’s competitive industry, a blog can help to distinguish you from your competition. By showing your personality and keeping up-to-date information about your company and your industry, a blog can give you that little extra boost to rise above your competition.

If you want return readership, make each post count.  Consider what a customer reading your blog might hope to gain from it.  Maybe you are a trusted product reviewer.  Maybe you are insightful and offer good wisdom or inspiration.  Your appeal might be your humorous writing approach.  Perhaps you know how to offer a good inside scoop. What better way for a customer to monitor the climate of a company or get real-time updates than through reading an insider’s blog?

Think of blogging as a type of high-quality, interactive advertising. It can draw people towards your company and boost your profile. But it can also do more than that. It can show what your company is interested in and that you are engaged with the rest of the world; it can show that you care about listening to others. The boost that it can give to the reputation as well as the sales of your company is considerable.

Every company, no matter how small, should have a blogging presence. If you don’t already have a blog, jump in and try it.  It might just be a vital key you’ve been missing to gaining more clients.

March 4, 2011- Google is using outside human raters.

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Just released today it seems that Google is using outside human raters (in part).

Google’s Amit Singhal said they asked raters questions like “Would you be comfortable giving this site your credit card? Would you be comfortable giving medicine prescribed by this site to your kids?”

Matt Cutts said other questions Google asked to establish trust include “Do you consider this site to be authoritative? Would it be okay if this was in a magazine? Does this site have excessive ads?”

So what does this mean to you? This is speculation and interpretation at the moment until we see how it really pans out- but some SEOs think this will knock sites with overloaded with AdSense and other flashy advertisements. We also already know that Google HATES squeeze pages (banned already from PPC)- so I’d pull back from those as well- or keep them on a separate domain.

Who Said Your Tweets Don’t Matter?

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

So, when checking my rankings today after Google’s recent announcement about article syndication I came across some interesting results for my name…

Now- I had seen Tweets coming up in the “instant” before… and I had seen my Twitter account come up when you searched my name, but this is the first time I have seen actual recent tweets cached for my name.

Who Said Your Tweets Don’t Matter?

How Google’s Recent Change has Changed my Rankings

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

Although I do still see some articles (on page 3) that were distributed using some of the article syndication sites that got knocked yesterday- the biggest difference I see is now suddenly my videos are popping up- or more of them at least.

Before- I would have 1 or 2 on page 1 of Google and that was about it. NOW I have 4 on the 1st page, 2 on page two and 2 on page 3.

The other thing to note- THEY ARE NOT ALL FROM YOUTUBE.

Check it out!

Page 1

Page 2

Ah- the changes of Google

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

(in case you want to know how we’re changing our strategy do to recent Google changes- this is the email I sent to all my clients about 2 minutes ago)

Well- part of why I love what I do is because it never stays the same!

I’m sure by now you’ve seen recent changes Google has been making since November- their “war again spam.” Although I’ve been monitoring it- up until now, I haven’t seen a need to change anything.

That changed yesterday…

Effectively released yesterday- article syndication is dead. While I do still have some of my articles showing up on page 3 from some previous syndication- the weight from these types of sites is no longer signification and I would bet that as soon as I put out more relevant content these pages will disappear.

Is your website going to hurt? Not at all.

This doesn’t affect your website- what is does affect is the “link juice” these sites pass to yours… Or now, as they are saying- they don’t pass much at all.

What does this mean for you? All this really means is we will tailor our strategy for you so that you get maximum exposure. I will continue to watch these article syndication sites because I assume that they, in a couple months, will bounce back with some stricter guidelines that might make them useful again…. But as of now we will stop submitting to these sites as they are no good. I am also watching Hubpages and stopped syndication there as well because they got hit too BUT WE WILL submit to KNOL and Squidoo as part of our strategy for you.

Rest assured that you will still see content being indexed for your name and company name- and the articles produced WILL still brand you as the expert- just the syndicated/distribution channels will be changed slightly.

This also means that these strategies will play an even bigger role in online brand domination:

• Videos for your YouTube channel
• Photos on Flickr
• Create a Podcast for iTunes
• Squidoo Lenses
• Press Releases
• Build a strong following on social networks
  

So- if you currently are not using videos and photos as part of your overall strategy- let’s look at how we can help you do that.

I just wanted to give you an overall update on the changes. Again-these links DO NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT YOU- they just no longer really help Let me know if you have any questions- I’m happy to answer!

Online Customer Conversion: Concepts That Increase Sales

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

The key to customer conversion is simple: Remove the word “no” from the equation, offer options to entice the fence sitters, and make it easy to complete the purchase.

After many years of online shopping, I can attest that these simple steps are VERY important for online sales… however, if my shoe buying habits aren’t enough to persuade you. Studies agree with me as well! ?

The One-Click Rule

You must make it easy for customers to pay you.

I see this mistake countless times on websites that I visit. And although I consider myself pretty Internet savvy, apparently, I’m not “intuitive” enough to know where to look to purchase something; or, maybe, I shouldn’t have to look.

In today’s fast-pace world, it is now more important than ever for the “flow” of the sale to be as easy as possible. Therefore, your order page MUST be accessible in one click regardless of where someone is on your website.

For a few products, a website should offer a prominent menu item which takes the customer to the order page where all of your products are available to purchase. If your website has hundreds of products, every web page that provides information on a product should include an “add to cart” button and you should be able to access the shopping cart from the top of every page of your website.

In addition, if you have a web page dedicated to a product or service that includes a lengthy description of the product, the description should include embedded text links leading to a buy now or add to cart window.

For every extra click it takes to buy your product, you will lose customers.

Keep the Check Out Process Simple

If possible, keep the check out form on a single page. Don’t force your customers through a series of pages in order to complete the check out process. Ask for the shipping address and billing address on the same page and always offer a checkbox to denote the same address for both.

While it’s okay to gather information such as an email address or ask how they found you, don’t get carried away and keep them filling out forms and answering questions. The longer your potential buyers are forced to linger in check out, the more chances they have to change their mind and abort the purchase. Keep it simple.

Bundle Products and Services to Entice More Sales

Bundling products and services for a discounted price is a good way to increase the sale. You earn more than you would from selling a single item and the customer gets a discount.

Buyers tend to shop on impulse and you should do everything in your power to make an additional sale while they are at your website with a credit card in hand. Once they leave your website, the odds of getting them back to make that additional purchase decreases.

This concept can also help you by offering an “add to cart” option rather than a buy now button for a single product that forces check out for each individual item. If they can add items to a shopping cart and check out all at one time you’ll increase your odds for multiple sales from a single customer.

Offer Choices That Remove the Word “No”

With a single purchase option the customer must make only one decision: whether or not to buy. This is a simple yes or no question for the customer. If you offer choices that change the basic question from yes or no to which option, you increase your odds of a sale.

For example, if you sell Widgets for 19.95 each and Widget Holders for 10.00, you can offer three different options to buy a Widget.

1. Offer the basic Widget for 19.95.

2. Sell the Widget plus the Widget Holder for 24.95 giving the customer a $5 discount for purchasing both together.

3. Partner with a company such as Trialpay to give the Widget away as a freebie while still earning 19.95 for the Widget.

This gives your customer choices, which is a proven method of gaining sales. The customer is no longer thinking in terms of yes or no, he is now focused on selecting the best option. (Amazon does a beautiful job at this.)

Provide Alternatives for Payment Processing

Not everyone is comfortable with the same payment options. Several years ago a prominent payment processor changed their method of detecting fraud. The end result was that some checkouts were asking for social security numbers in order to verify the customer. Sales took an immediate nosedive as people didn’t want to enter their social security numbers for Internet purchases and if that was the only option you were offering, your sales would have followed the downward spiral.

By offering more than one option at check out, you increase your odds of gaining a sale. If the customer sees an option they are familiar with and more importantly, comfortable with, they are more likely to convert to a sale. For example you could offer three choices: Paypal, Google Checkout or your standard credit card processing.

Get Paid to Give It Away For Free

There will always be customers sitting on the fence, somewhat interested but not fully compelled to purchase from you. They may believe there’s a better price or a product with more features. Perhaps they’ve never heard of you and would be more comfortable with a known name brand even if the product isn’t as good. It may be as simple as having an unprofessional website that turns them off.

You must motivate the purchase. For the fence sitters you need to offer some sort of enticement that brings them off the fence. One option is to offer a freebie with the purchase or put the item on sale. An alternative is to offer your product for free yet still get paid for it. They might hesitate to lay down $20 but the option of getting it for free might be the incentive that makes the sale.

Payment processors such as Trialpay.com offer innovative methods for you to partner with big name companies and gain extra sales. Your product becomes a giveaway that accompanies a more prominent product. The big name company pays you for the product and the customer gets it for free.

It seems simple, but it’s SO important to make it SUPER easy for someone to pay you. By simply avoiding these mistakes, you can dramatically increase your online sales. Happy selling!

Simple Publicity Tricks

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

You don’t need to be a professional publicist or marketing expert to write effective online press releases. Writing a press release for online distribution is a quick, easy process. After writing a press release, submit to free online distribution services. For an extra fee, some services will further optimize press releases and blast out to larger distribution markets.

Begin your press release with a strong headline. The headline should be no more than 80 characters. The first paragraph (the lead or introductory paragraph of the press release) summarizes the main information. Don’t add fluff – stick to the basics. A press release covers the five Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. It should not exceed more than one page.

Stick to newsworthy facts. Write “facts” and avoid writing that sounds sales/advertising-oriented. If a press release reads like an advertisement, it’ll be rejected by online distribution services and media outlets. The goal of a press release is to gain media coverage and exposure. A press release should read like a news story and includes newsworthy that quickly grabs the media’s attention.

Use optimized keywords. Sprinkle keywords throughout the press release but do not stuff keywords for the sake of optimization. If allowed, always add the company’s website within the text of the press release (some distribution services do not allow hyperlinks within the press release).

Review for grammar and spelling errors. Do not add superlatives to the press release (example: very). Use active verbs and write short, succinct paragraphs. Review the press release for grammar and spelling errors before you send to online distribution services and media outlets.

Should You be Using Flash on Your Website?

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

There are many benefits to using flash on your sites, but there are also drawbacks. The pros and cons need to be weighed carefully when deciding if Flash is the right application for your Website.

My two cents is that we don’t use it, it doesn’t play in mobile browsers and with the SEO disadvantages- we stay clear! (However, there are some SEO friendly versions that look like flash that your web designer can get away with!)

Anyway, because I was asked about Flash from a client this week- I thought I would list some pros and cons!

Here you go!

The Benefits of Using a Flash Website:

By using Flash, you gain advantages in design and the ability to use a variety of media. Flash can be used to incorporate music, text, photography and video – bundled together in a sleek format  that offers your website visitors an uniquely immersive experience when visiting. The ability of Flash to provide a state of the art multimedia event can draw your visitor through an immense variety of information. It can do so without requiring a click, and can provide a stunningly effective introduction to your business.

The Disadvantages of Using a Flash Website:

Web surfers are impatient. A  Flash site has the drawback of additional load time, and you may lose a percentage of visitors who click away for this very reason.  The larger the file, the longer the load time. The main drawback to be aware of is search engine rankings. Spiders cannot read the context of your Website if flash is incorporated and may have difficulty ranking it. If your business is highly dependent on organic rankings and traffic, Flash may not be the best option.

Flash is like any other application on your Website. It’s important to be aware of both benefits and drawbacks, enabling the designer to make the best decisions for your Website and the business it represents.

Online PR NOT the Same as Offline PR

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Here’s the biggest misconception I get when talking about PR. People still think that today’s world of online PR is the same as it has always been in the traditional offline “PR.” That’s just not the case, today’s game is much different, and actually, to your advantage.

First, let’s clear this us; PR doesn’t mean public relations… today, it means public relationships.

And good news for you, you don’t need to be a professional publicist or marketing expert to write effective online press releases.  Writing a press release for online distribution is not only quick and easy process; but it’s one of the most valuable tools you can use in your business, not only for credibility, but for SEO.

Here’s a couple tips when writing your online PR:

Begin your press release with a strong headline. The headline should be no more than 80 characters. The first paragraph (the lead or introductory paragraph of the press release) summarizes the main information. Don’t add fluff – stick to the basics. A press release covers the five Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. It should not exceed more than one page.

Stick to newsworthy facts. Write “facts” and avoid writing that sounds sales/advertising-oriented. If a press release reads like an advertisement, it’ll be rejected by online distribution services and media outlets. The goal of a press release is to gain media coverage and exposure. A press release should read like a news story and includes newsworthy that quickly grabs the media’s attention.

Use optimized keywords (and this is THE key). Sprinkle keywords throughout the press release but do not stuff keywords for the sake of optimization. If allowed, always add the company’s website within the text of the press release (some distribution services do not allow hyperlinks within the press release) as well as anchor links as these are the best kind of backlinks you can get.

When you’re done with your release, take 5 minutes and submit to an online distribution channel like http://www.prlog.org (that’s my fav!).

To your success!

Lindsay

Business Lessons from an Early Age

Friday, August 6th, 2010

A story my father wrote about me and one of my first business lessons…

“Teaching your children seems to be getting harder these days. I don’t know whether it was ever easy.

To teach a lesson requires being on hand when the problem arises and then guiding the child through the learning process.

Such was the situation when my youngest presented her latest crisis. Her best friend was going to copy her Halloween costume down to specifics and now they would look exactly the same on that special day. Now, this may not seem like a 10 on the Richter Scale for problems to you, but to Lindsay it was sufficient to give her a class-one stomach ache.

Enter Dad. Easy problem. Easy solution, right? Wrong. One man’s problem is another cake walk. This is true no matter the age or the problem. I have seen people financially destroyed and declared bankrupt because of a $200 payment. I have seen others millions in debt negotiate to borrow more money to help them pay the debt. I have learned that an individual’s problems can never be minimized and no matter how big or seemingly small, the problem must be attacked with equal vengeance towards the solution.

‘You must learn to compartmentize the problem,’ I counseled my six-year-old.

‘Compartmentize?’ she asked in the questioning tone that let me know I was speaking in tongues.

‘Take the problem, break it down, and try to find a solution. You know MacGyverism,’ I said. A ‘MacGyverism’ she understood. MacGyver being the character of a TV show by the same name who routinely solves complex problems with brain instead of brawn.

‘But that won’t work with this,’ Lindsay said, indication a negative attitude I also wanted to break.

‘I’ll tell you what. You come up with a good MacGyverism to solve this problem and I’ll pay you one dollar,’ I told her realizing that I needed an additional motivation factor. The reduced tears and the determined look on her face told me I had been right. It isn’t always that we fathers are right about our advice and I’m always happy and a little smug when I think I’ve scored a victory. I had taken the time and I taught my daughter an important lesson.

Early the next morning, Lindsay bounced in my room advising me of her solution that she had working out in her mind. It was simple, but it worked.

‘Great job, Lindsay,’ I said. giving her encouragement and feeling proud that my guidance worked.

‘Do I get my dollar?’ Lindsay asked excitedly.

‘You sure do. And tell me, what lesson did you learn?” I asked knowing I would hear the reinforcement in my training.

‘Well,’ said Lindsay thoughtfully. ‘When you have a problem and you need a solution, just throw some money at it. Right?’ she asked, her facial expression indicating she had found the secret of life.

‘Well, that’s close, Lindsay,” I laughed. That’s close, I thought to myself. Parenting is such a precise science.”

… although some of that I think Daddy was a bit judicious with his writing… when I re-read that story again, it made me think of some very simple business concepts that I can tend to overlook.

To Your Success!

A Break from Social Media Marketing…

Friday, May 7th, 2010

I have been blessed with a wonderful family, all of which I admire and strive to be more like. My father is my mentor… and in business he has given me 1 rule: “Find what you love to do and figure out how to make money doing it.”

I have been fortunate enough to figure that out, kinda , although, I’m still not exactly sure what I want to be “when I grow up,” but for now I’m doing what I love. I also take comfort in the fact that my father still says he’s not sure what he wants to be when he grows up .

However, taking that one step further, I was listening to Frank Kern the other day and he was talking about imagining what would make you happy, what your day would be like if you could have a “perfect” day. Although I do what I love, I had never thought about what a perfect day would be like… what would I enjoy doing from the time I wake up until the time I went to bed.

I quickly grabbed my journal and started describing my day and what it would look like. I described what I wanted to do, who I wanted to surround myself with, where I wanted to be, etc. After I was finished, I looked at it and thought “well, now why don’t I do that? What’s holding me back?”

It was simple, I had never put down on paper.

With that simple exercise, I quickly changed the way I was running my business… and my day. After all, isn’t that what it’s about? If you aren’t having fun, then you need to change what you are doing.

For me, that meant figuring out what made me smile most in life and making sure I filled my day with that as much as possible. It’s amazing how much more productive you become when you are smiling.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”

Facebook “Likes”

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

If you are on Facebook, you may have seen a change this week. No longer are you a “fan” of a company fan pages (such as our social media agency fan page for CelebritySites), now you “like” them. Not to worry, for users and fan pages, there is really no change in the functionality of the button, “liking” a fan page still allows the page to push the same content to your news feed. So why the subtle change, why fix what ain’t broke?

For Facebook, this is another step toward its plan to create an Internet-wide “like” button. Yep, much like the button Facebook users have become accustom to using to like a friends post, video or pictures, we will soon see a “like” button on public sites. This seemingly competitive move against Digg and other such sites may be a dream come true for social media marketing. Since so many people already have active Facebook accounts, this move would allow publishers to connect content to Facebook networks with the simple click of a “like” button.

The plan is just getting started for now… but we shall soon see more.

Do You Have a Social Media Game Plan?

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Whether you’re a novice or expert on the Internet, you probably use social media on a daily basis (if not hourly if you are @brianhorn @davidbullock or myself ?). And, if you own a business or are a marketing agent of some kind and haven’t really utilized these networks to help you spread your message, you’re really missing out on a wealth of relevant followers. There is a captive (and passionate) audience out there that you can certainly tap into but to quote David Bullock’s tweet from last week “Is social media a fad or distraction for you? Do you have a pragmatic social media plan or are you just chatting? Hmmm….”

That even made me think (thanks Dave)… am I effectively utilizing my game plan?

Social Media by it’s meaning is “social.” So it should certainly be used for that purpose- and if you are spamming your followers with nothing but advertisements that will get you nowhere in their minds.

However, like any other aspect of your business, you have a plan and you should absolutely have a Social Media plan… and treat it as such. Not to say, don’t “tweet” when you think of something valuable to push out to your audience, but overall have a game plan for what you are trying to accomplish. Set it weekly, monthly… two days in advance if that’s all you can do… but, whatever you find that works for you and your business have a plan nonetheless.

Figure out the goals you are trying to accomplish from using Social Media. Is it more traffic to your site? More referring sites? More page views? More downloads? More returning visitors? Increased visitor interaction? Find the ROO (return of objective) that you can measure and set a game plan to get yourself there.

Don’t just “chat”… make money while chatting ?

Social Media Marketing Quick Tip: Be Yourself!

Friday, February 12th, 2010

With the social networking sites growing at alarming rates, everyone is jumping in and working towards learning social media marketing and how it can be used to their best use. Learning to harness the captive audience that is out there right now actively searching for what you have to offer can be tricky at times, but has its finer points (like being low/no cost); however, I don’t want to over look one key point…

Social Media Marketing is not complicated. However, when approaching this type of marketing, you absolutely have to make sure you’re not spamming people. You have to build a certain trust with people and make them believe that you’re not a robotic poster that is just looking to cash in. This is a bit hard, but if you’re sincere and personal at many points, you’ll move forward fast with this type of marketing.

There are a lot of people working on social media marketing, and what separates the success stories from the failures is the sincerity and honesty of some users. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience for a moment. If you would feel comfortable with the information you’re passing to people, then continue, but if you find that the information doesn’t really excite you on a personal level, you should definitely not continue with that promotion. Social Media Marketing isn’t too difficult to jump into; however, to be a success at it, it’s going to take some work. Once you’ve established a following, you’re going to see relevant interest like never before.

Remember, people buy people… so use it for business by all means, but be yourself!

Personalized Search Results, What Does This Mean for You?

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

By now I’m sure you’ve all heard the buzz about Google’s new personalized search results (although not really new, they have been beta testing for a while). So what does this mean? It means, that Google will now start delivering results to their users based on sites previously visited. This means that while Coke may have previously come up #1 for “soda companies,” if you are used to ordering online from your local market, that may come up instead.

So how could this change affect your online traffic?

Here’s a great article written by a friend of mine (and the “Glazer- Kennedy’s Secret Weapon”) @brianhorn that does a wonderful job of describing what to expect.

Check it out the full article here: Google’s Change That Will Rock Your World in 2010

But here’s a snippet from the article and what to expect:

“The Big Players Will Get Even Bigger
Those at the top of the search results for their industry’s most popular keywords are likely to benefit the most from this change. The longer tail queries that would once have shown more alternative sources will now bring up those “previously visited” sites when previously they wouldn’t have earned a top position.

This will likely contribute to some lowered diversity in the results, but can also help fight against spammy results from low quality republishers.

Paid Traffic Could Boost SEO
If Google is tracking what websites a user has visited before, and using that data in their search results…it makes sense to get as many people to your site ASAP, right?”

To Your Success!

Lessons from a friend about Personal Branding

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

I was speaking with a friend the other day, and we were laughing over something he said in passing that was taken a little deeper than it should have been. What he meant by it was nowhere near what the other man took it as… in this case, profound… but, it got me thinking…

What is the language we use everyday to show who we are, both verbal and nonverbal. How does this message correspond with our business? Does it relate or is their a disconnect in what you are saying and in your actual message?

This thought is where Personal Branding comes in… where people buy in to what you are saying, simply for who you are…. People buy people.

Take a look at how you are portraying both yourself and your business in not only the way you speak but also your marketing and certainly in your social media. Make sure all of them are accurately portraying the message you want to come across… and control your media! ?

To your success!

People buy People- please don’t forget your picture in your marketing!

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

So, it’s that time of year again… we all start receiving massive amounts of both Holiday cards in the mail as well Holiday emails. Today, I was reminded about the importance of a picture.

I, like you, are undoubtedly on countless mailing lists. Way too many to keep up-to-date with them all. So the easiest way to remind me of who you are is with your picture. I may not remember your name, or even what you do necessarily, but if I see your bright and smiling face I’ll probably recognize it. And if I do, I’ll probably listen to what you have to say.

Unfortunately, this afternoon I got a Thanksgiving “greeting card,” which was really just an HTML email- and although it was written well, I have no clue who this person is. There are two very valuable points to make. One, the person does not stay in the forefront of my mind with continued drip pieces and two, no picture.

I encourage you all when sending out not only your Holiday emails and direct mail pieces, but also the typical ones in your business, to include your picture. No, this is not because Nick and I love the way we look , but rather we know that it builds recognition with who we are and what we do!

Happy Thanksgiving!

To your success,
Lindsay

Social Media: Frequently Asked Questions from Small Business Owners

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

I came across this article today that I found interesting and thought I would share: “Social Media: Frequently Asked Questions from Small Business Owners”.

In this article they discuss frequently asked questions that I think every business owner has asked himself/herself at one point in time, questions like ” have a smalls staff. How do I find the resources to keep up-to-date with content on social networks.”

Click Here to check out the article

25 Social Media Sites for Entrepreneurs

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

I was monitoring my Google Alerts this morning and I came across this article that I thought I would share with everyone.

Check it out: 25 Social Media Sites for Entrepreneurs

5 Things you MUST have in your Twitter Profile!

Monday, August 24th, 2009

A friends and client emailed me the other day about out Twitter designs that we have done for ourselves and some other clients… which got me thinking about this blog post.

People buy people… right? And by now, everyone should understand the power of twitter… so, are you putting your personality into your twitter profile like you would your website?

Here are some things that your twitter profile SHOULD have it in…

1. Your picture
2. Your logo
3. Short bio
4. Contact information
5. he current branding that your website or other promotional items have.

Take a look at some examples that we have done and I think you’ll have a better idea of how this can be useful.
www.twitter.com/lindsayglass
www.twitter.com/frankpatrick
www.twitter.com/kennedys
www.twitter.com/premierexperts
www.twitter.com/celebbranding
www.twitter.com/bradjunkhouseri

And to take it one step further, you can also carry these designs through to your YouTube Channels:
www.youtube.com/ndnproductions
www.youtube.com/lindsayglass1
www.youtube.com/americapremierexpert
www.youtube.com/KennedysBarberClub

If you have a web designer, just give ‘em the things mentioned above and tell ‘em to get to it! And if you don’t Click Here for Twitter Designs and Click Here for YouTube Designs and we’d be happy to handle it for you quickly!

To your social media success!

Social Media Revolution

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Nick (@nicknanton) came across this GREAT YouTube video about the “Social Media Revolution” and I thought I would share it with all of you.

It definitely shows the power of social media and what it has already done to revolutionize the way we do business, search for products and communicate.

Check it out…

“Skip Intro”

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

As I am writing this blog, I am on the plane heading to NY to join the rest of the America’s Premiere Experts for our Celebrity Branding Experience.

Since I travel quite often I usually try to save some business reading (various Dan Kennedy books & publications, Stompernet’s Net Affect, etc) that I have accumulated over the past couple of weeks for the flight. Today is no different (@davidbullock and @jwest5150 thanks for the material this time!).

This trip I’m also flying with my father, who is sitting next to me reading “Understanding Digital Marketing” by: Damian Ryan and Calvin Jones. As we both come across interesting tid-bits we can use not only in our own businesses, but for our clients as well we interrupt each other to share.

My latest: a horrible use of advertising space and an almost non existent headline because it was so small…

Dad’s: a statistic- the most widely clicked on button on the Internet: “Skip intro”

So what does that tell you?

STOP selling before you build the relationship!

Unless you have caught people specifically in the buying mood (not likely) then you are there to educate and build the relationship. Once you do that, they will THEN buy from you when they need your particular products and services.

Think of how many times you “skip intro” so you can get to the “meat” of what you’re looking for. I know I do all the time. So “skip intro” by just not putting it there!

(By the way, don’t confuse this with not putting video on your site…that’s a whole other article!)

To you Social Media Success!

GREAT use of Social Media to get customers in the door!

Friday, July 17th, 2009

While updating my Facebook profile today, I was prompted with an event that Starbucks was putting on. The event was for a free pastry on July 21st.

Here’s what the event details said:

“Celebrate our simpler, more delicious recipes. Bring your invite to Starbucks for a free pastry with your drink purchase”

So- they made an event around their promotion date and advertised it using Facebook ads to get customers in their door.

Starbucks is the first I have actually seen to do this, but I have heard that several of major companies using Facebook (and other social medias) to get customers in their doors, try something new and even are enticed to bring friends.

Great use of social media and yes… I RSVP to attend!

Subway’s New Cell Phone Policy

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

So I’m at Subway the other day… a pretty regular part of my routine and I see the message below. Do you think they meant me?

Subway, Eat Fresh!

Google’s New First Page Ranking Criteria

Thursday, May 21st, 2009

Last week Google announced that they are once again changing their ever mysterious, ever changing, “algorithm “ by which they assign their top rankings.

The change in the algorithm places significant weight on new information. So what does this mean? Those outdated, static, brochure-looking websites will be just that… outdated!

This is why, as the Wall Street Journal reported, “ A search for a celebrity would show recent news about the person as opposed to their website.”

So how do you stay with the trend?

Dynamic content: blogs, articles and press releases.

All of these content driven systems can be updated regularly. Not only do they help to show your expert status, but they give Google the new content they’re looking for. You can also take these posts one step further and book mark your blogs through social media sites, syndicate your articles through article syndication sites and submit your news to press release syndication sites automatically creating links backs to your site, as well as traffic, and of course, ultimately converting them to a signup on your mailing list, which you can then market to later. But that’s another conversation for another day!

Either way, with Google’s recent announcement it is imperative that you stay with the trends and have one, if not all, of these features on your site. If you’re looking for a great blog platform, checkout Wordpress, it’s the best blog platform out there and has a ton of capabilities. To see some examples of some of full websites built on wordpress and all it’s capabilities visit http://www.celebritysites.com/portfolio/.

“Where Everybody Knows Your Name”

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Each month I try and share with you the latest tips and tricks for SEO, online marketing and promoting your business. This month, at the urging of my father, I decided to share with you a story instead…

You always hear us talk about “people buy people” and while many of your accept that fact solely on face value, I believe it whole heartedly because I live it each and every day.

My reminder comes from a well know little coffee shop named Starbucks (ever heard of it? ?). And while the media, without fail, promotes our failing economy and $2 cups of coffee will no longer sell… I think quite the opposite. Sure sales might be down- but I believe that is a part of what we call a business cycle.

With competitors like McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts now coming up with their own version of the Mocha Lattes and Frappuccinos (and at a fraction of the cost, I might add) why in the world would I continue to go to Starbucks every morning, yes every morning… especially since both McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts are also on my way to work? Because people buy people… Cynthia, Jared, April and the whole rest of the crew know me by name and know my order by heart. As soon as I walk into the coffee shop my drink is waiting. I cannot say the same for their competitors, whom, quite frankly, would not care who I was and they probably would get my order wrong!

And whether they truly think about what they are doing and why, I am treated with a smiling face and a personal connection. It’s the old “Cheers” philosophy; you go “where everybody knows your name.”

So yes, I spend $2.14 every day on my way to work… $556.40 per year on coffee that I could undoubtedly make at home. Why? Because people buy people…

What kind of experience are you selling? What kind of person are you selling to your customers? I am reminded every day how important personal connection is and how human interaction can affect your business. And, even if this tough economy, people WILL spend money if you make it worth their while.

List of Ranking Factors For Designing A High Traffic Website!

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

So I came across an article the other day that gives you an all encompassing list of SEO factors for your website and what REALLY affects your rankings and what doesn’t.

I thought it was a great list and did well at explaining what each item was, so I thought I would pass it along…

Check it out here:

http://www.moneyiseverywhere.com/list-of-ranking-factors-for-designing-a-high-traffic-website/

To your success!

Organic or Pay-Per- Click?

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

There is always a discussion on which is better: organic rankings in the search engines or pay-per-click advertisements. My answer: what are you trying to accomplish? Like most things, it depends.
Although they are harder to get and will cost you more time and more money, organic search rankings do offer distinct advantages over pay-per-click (PPC) advertisement and will always be better for you in the long run.
I recently read an article that compared organic rankings to PPC advertisement rankings and which were better. Here are some of the results:

• Searchers are up to six times more likely to click on the first few organic results than any of the PPC ads
• 14% of searchers trust PPC ads (meaning 86% of searchers do not)
• 29% of searchers are annoyed by PPC ads
• Conversion rates are 17% higher for organic results

Well with stats like that, why would you ever use PPC? Here are a couple reasons:

Time. PPC can be instantaneous and can jumpstart your website traffic. Organic campaigns can take 3 months (and sometimes longer depending on your competition). So, if you have a short amount of time or a seasonal business PPC might be better suited for your goals.

Cost. If you are working on a tight budget PPC will always cost less. PPC allows you to limit your campaign to as much or as little as you want to spend. And by limiting your keyword and keyword phrases to those that bring the most qualified traffic you can operate your campaign on a smaller budget.

Testing. PPC is a great way to test headlines and keywords to see what pulls better for your niche and your market. You cannot do this with organic SEO. By setting up different ads with different headlines you can easily see in a day which resonates more with visitors and which drives more traffic to your site.

So, it really does depend what you’re looking for. For long term appeal- organic is the way to go. For short, quick tests- PPC is a better option.

If you’re looking for some resources for finding your keywords and helping develop PPC campaigns here are a couple:

• Google’s FREE tool: adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
• Bran Callen’s Keyword Elite ($176- wel worth it!) – www.keywordelite.com

Derek Gehl’s Top Directory List

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

I recently got my copy of this month’s No BS Report by Dan Kennedy. And as usual there was an Internet Update in there by Derek Gehl. Now- if you aren’t familiar with Derek, you should be!
In the article he gave away some good directory resources to submit your site to- now of course, most of them are not free, so he also provided a list. In case you didn’t see it- I thought I would post for you all to see.

Here is his top directory list (and their prices):

01 Web Directory- $49
Aviva- $34.95
Azoos- 489.95
Best of the Web- $69.95
Browse8- $35
Business- $199
DMOZ (Open Directory Project)- FREE (and very good if you can get it!)
Gimpsy- $40
GoGuides- $39.99
JoeAnt- $39.99
Librarians Internet Index- $24.95
Massive Links- $24.95
Rubber Stamped- $29.95
SevenSeek- $40
Site-Sift- $29.95
Site Snoop- $10
Skaffe- $39.99
Starting Point- $99
This is Our Year- $24.95
Uncover the New- $49
Web Beacon- $49.99
Wow Directory- $37
Yahoo! Directory- $299

Nick Nanton Speaks About Celebrity Branding

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

For those of you still not quite sure what we do Check out the article below where Nick Nanton is interviewed by Dr. Marlene Siersema about Celebrity Branding.

Check it out!
Link

How to Get YOUR News on the Google Radar

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

Google: the great search engine mystery. How do you get your news picked up by Google News? Unfortunately, Google doesn’t publish a manual on the things they look for in Google News articles (if they did, they could make a lot of money!). However, as with everything else in business, there are trends to watch out for. Below are some tips on how to get YOUR news on the Google radar.

1. Make Your Headline “Newsy”- Unfortunately, sales copy doesn’t work here. As my father always said, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck” it’s a duck. You have a better chance of getting included in Google News if you stay away from headlines that sound like ad copy. Instead, try and formulate your headlines so that they grab readers attention but are also newsy. To get an idea of some good headlines, take a look at Google News and see what they are currently picking up. Then, craft your headlines around those. Remember Dan Kennedy’s S & D (steal and distribute)!

2. Location, Location, Location – Each day, only the top 30 press releases are considered for inclusion into Google News. Do whatever you can to make sure that yours is somewhere within the top 30 for its scheduled day of release. To get your release into the top 30, make sure that your content is both relevant and educational.

3. Be Conscious of the Date in Your Press Release – This is something simple to look for but easy to mess up. If your press release has a date in the first paragraph, make sure it matches the date of release. Press releases that have an incorrect date are generally not considered. Fortunately, many of the press release services such as http://www.prlog.org and
http://www.prweb.com stamp the date for you, so that’s one less thing to worry about!

4. Watch the Number of Links Within Your Release – I would try to stick to 2-3 links within the body of your release. A good rule of thumb is one link for every one hundred words. If you choose to include more than that, your release runs the risk of looking like spam and will generally not be considered for inclusion.

5. Length – Keep you release between 150-500 words. Any more or less and the chances of inclusion will get even slimmer.

Unfortunately, we can’t read the Google manual, but if you follow these general rules, you’ll be better off than most!

Want people from around the world bidding to design YOUR logo?

Monday, November 17th, 2008

When developing your business, one of the biggest things to consider is you brand. A brand as defined by Wikipedia is “a collection of images and ideas representing an economic producer; more specifically, it refers to the descriptive verbal attributes and concrete symbols such as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme that convey the essence of a company, product or service. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the accumulation of experiences with the specific product or service, both directly relating to its use, and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to a company, product or service. A brand serves to create associations and expectations among products made by a producer. A brand often includes an explicit logo, fonts, color schemes, symbols and sound which may be developed to represent implicit values, ideas, and even personality. The key objective is to create a relationship of trust.”

So when thinking of your business, how are you going to brand yourself? Your company? Your logo is probably the biggest part of branding so you want to get it right. I know what your thinking… it’s difficult to find a good designer and it costs a lot, right? WRONG!

This month, I decided to share with you a little secret we use for almost all of our clients- www.crowdspring.

crowdSPRING allows you to post your project (much like a craigslist or Elance), set the price you want to pay and watch as designers from all around the world actually bid for your project by submitting their designs to you! However, unlike craigslist or Elance you won’t get a proposal- you’ll actually get the logo for you to see! You can then give feedback as you go to give people the chance to tweak the design to your liking and when it’s all said and done, you just pick the best design!

Better yet, crowdSPRING GUARANTEES that you will get at least 25 submissions or you get a refund!

We have found that you can get fantastic results with as little as $300 dollars. Trust me for full rights to the design and people actually bidding to have the job that’s nothing!

You hear us talk about celebrity branding and the philosophy that “people buy people” over and over again- having a great logo is the first step…what better way to get a great logo than to let a bunch of people pitch you!

Where Do I Start When Writing Content for My Website?

Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

Month after month we share our online secrets with you… well, they’re not really secrets, because we want you to know them, but I’ll stick with the “Former Wannabe Singer Reveals How to Create a Massive Fan Base and Increase Profits” story because it sounds better (and yes, that title is about me)!

One of the questions I get asked is where do I start? Where do I start when writing my blog… my article… my ebook? If you aren’t a natural writer (or the though of writing makes your skin crawl) it may be hard to sit in front of a computer and stare at a blank page that says “Document 1” up at the top.

To get started with any type of writing, I encourage people to write what they are thinking- don’t worry about putting your thoughts into formulated sentences or even full thoughts- that’s what editing is for! Just write what you are thinking… many times our brain moves much faster then our fingers can type (or write) so your greatest challenge, at the start, is to make sure you don’t forget any of those wonderful ideas you’re thinking about!

Writing content for the online world is very much the same- you tell a story and tie it in to a benefit for the reader. If you can’t give the reader some sort of actionable content somewhere in the article, meaning some kind of content they can go take action on right after they’ve finished reading your article, then you probably won’t get much traffic to the article. Also, with every story you have a headline (or title) and then the second most important element- the opening paragraph.

Since “where to start” is usually the most difficult thing when writing your online blogs or articles here are 3 tips for how to start your opening paragraph.

1. Ask a Question

Asking a question might be the easiest way to get your reader involved in your writing. By asking a question you engage the reader- even if it is a rhetorical question.
REMEMBER- FEAR AND PAIN ARE POWERFUL MOTIVATORS.

Although a little flippant, we have toyed ourselves with using the phrase “Does Your Website Suck?”

… well, does it?? If it does… you know where to find us…

If you can start your writing off with some sort of question it will not only involve your reader but immediately connect them to a pain they are having (and your services may just so happen ease that pain!) then you’re on your way!

This strategy doesn’t have to evoke fear or pain- it can also just be a simple rhetorical question to get your story flowing.

2. Share a Story (be brief you only have a few seconds to grab their attention!)

You have heard us say over and over again that “people buy people” well, it is no different on the web… in fact, you have to work even harder to give people that same warm, welcoming feeling that you would if they stepped into your office to meet with you. Your writing is no different and stories allow you to share a bit of you, so that your visitor can get to know you. These stories will also help to hold your reader’s attention.

3. Share a Shocking Statistic

By nature, we are curious creatures. So peaking someone’s interest with an interesting/shocking statistic is always a good way to start off. Of course, you do always need to relate that interesting/shocking piece of information to the rest of your blog/ article, otherwise you will lose your reader (and very quickly, I might add) when they discover it was only a ploy and the rest of the piece has nothing to do with that statistic- bait and switch is NOT something I suggest!

In general, the writing on your website is there to provide content and education for not only your visitors but also the search engines, so keep it interesting and always remember to add your keywords into everything that you write!

How to Blog in ANY Industry

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008

“Blog- A blog (an abridgment of the term web log) is a website, usually maintained by an individual, that has regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to web pages, including other blogs and media related to its topic.” (Source Wikipedia, June 4, 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog)

Knowing this, how does a blog relate to your business? Surely, your business cannot profit from a blog or can it?

Blogs are conversational. The best blogs are the ones that relate to people and current events (holidays, politics), and then they relate everything back to your business. To write a good blog, you need to be able to: (1) write about your business, which I know you can do and (2) be able to see if it’s sunny outside. Can you do that? You bet you can!

Why do we use blogs on business websites? Because, blogs are an easy way for your clients, prospects, and vendors to get to know you and your company. Like we have said before, people are not buying your product, people are buying YOU. Blogs are a simple way to relate to your audience and keep them up-to-date with what’s happening with you and your industry.

When writing a blog, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. As I have said before, make entries conversational and keep them short. Nowadays, people have short attention spans and will not read long blogs. Keep entries between 100 and 300 words.

2. Watch out for industry jargon. Although you may know all of the elaborate industry terms, your audience probably doesn’t. So, make sure you write for your reader in order for them to understand you.

3. Make sure that there is always a link to your website at the end of your blog. If your blog is on your website, this strategy won’t be too effective. But, this is a necessary strategy if you have submitted your blog to a social blogging site (which I suggest check out www.digg.com, www.reddit.com, www.technorati.com and del.icio.us). When someone comes across your blog and likes what they see, they will follow you to your website.

4. Make sure to have an RSS (really simple syndication) feed attached to your blog. You can find this at www.feedburner.com. This will allow your clients, prospects, and vendors to sign up to receive e-mail updates instead of having to frequently check your website for the latest happenings. Also, this is a good strategy to attach to any articles and press releases that you post on your website.

Get out there and start blogging! It’s one of the simplest resources you can use to keep new, relevant content on your website. Best of all, it’s fast, easy, and will let your clients get to know you! As we always say: people don’t buy your product; people buy YOU!

Social Book-Marking, Does it Work?

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

People always ask me how syndication of press releases and book marking your blog in many of the social book marking sites can possibly generate traffic to your site.

Well, the other day I submitted a press release to thousands of online sources for a client. As part of my regular routine, I then put the release up on their web site. Not 20 minutes later they had a new comment on that press release:

“I found your site on Technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you.”

So do these strategies work? You bet they do!

Remember, if you don’t take the time to tell people about you and your business then no one will ever know about it.

New Press Release Format to Ponder

Monday, January 28th, 2008

I met with a friend and local journalist the other day. As we do, we discussed business (for both parties), interestingly; she mentioned that journalists today are moving to different formats for press releases…

What is this new press release format?

Bullet-points. A simple bulleted list of who, what, when, where, why and how (yes- those same techniques we learned in school, now with a twist).

Her reason?

She said that each day journalists get so many press releases all they do is scan them and the easiest way to do that is with bullet-points. So often times, PR companies go to great lengths to get quotes and write lavish press releases. In reality, journalists rewrite the story and most newspapers require their journalists to get their own quote for the story.

So, if you insist on using the standard press release format, try writing simple bulleted list of the “5 Ws” before the rest of the release to help the journalist scan and then continue reading if they choose.

Remember, we want to make their life as easy as possible!

Web Site Tips for 2008

Monday, December 31st, 2007

It’s 2008 and as people try to commit to their New Year Resolutions. I thought it worthy to give you some tips for you to commit to for your New Year Web Site Resolutions.

Here are 7 quick tips to give your web site a lift in 2008.

1. Make sure you have a “CTA” (call to action) on every page of your site. You can even use several CTAs on a page if you have multiple items to offer.

2. Place your company’s phone number and an “Email us” link in the top right corner of your web site. People read web sites like a book, left to right. They will look to the far left for the company and what web site they are one and the immediately look to the right for the company’s contact information should they need it.

3. Make sure to have a lead capture on every page. You will see on our pages we use both a mailing list signup as well as a free special report offer. You never know when someone will get the urge to give you their contact information and you want to make sure you’re there and ready to capture it!

4. GET MORE TESTIMONIALS! Third party verification, what someone says about you, is much better than you saying how wonderful your company is. When you can, post a picture with the testimonial and make sure to also post their name, company and position. Make the person as “real-life” as you can. Video and audio testimonials are even better if you can get them.

5. Cut the “fat,” make your copy short, simple and to the point. If longer copy is necessary use headings, sub-headings and bullet points to break up the longer copy.

6. Make sure the personality you use if you were selling someone face-to-face is also on your web site. There are many ways to add personality including pictures, color, BLOGs, articles, bios and copy.

7. Make it easy for readers to get the latest business happenings and content you’ve added to your site- add RSS feeds to all BLOGS, articles and press releases you put on your site.

I hope 2008 is a successful and prosperous year for you all. Happy 2008!

5 Quick Tips to Getting Your Emails Read

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

#1 Release Date is Key: Studies show the Monday, Tuesdays and Weekends are the best days to send your emails to your lists. If you send your email on a Wednesday or Friday- you email is least likely to get read. The #1 best day to send email blasts- Tuesdays, they typically have the highest click-through-rates.

#2 Subject Lines Length: Keep your subject lines short, simple and too the point. As the old saying goes- KISS- keep it simple stupid!

#3 Personalize It: Studies show that if a personalization in the subject line is the best way to improve your open rate and click-through-rate.

#4 Number of Links: Again, keep it simple. Limit the number of links in your emails to only a couple. Anymore than five links, and you risk confusing the hell out of your readers (and losing their interest fast!).

#5 Text vs. HTML: People still debate whether text or html based emails are better. Studies show that text emails have only a slight advantage in click-through-rates over html. However, keep in mind that an open means that the full email has to be read, so if your email is in html and the images in your email didn’t download then although your email may have been read by your client you will not get an open stat for them.