Posts Tagged ‘Small Business Internet Marketing’

5 Internet Marketing Myths

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

Props to David Jackson for his article “10 Biggest Internet Marketing Myths Exposed.” These 5 Internet marketing myths come from his list, but I could just as well have created them from scratch. These are myths you’ve probably heard over and over again (and may have even bought into yourself). I’ll tell you why they’re myths.

  1. Anyone can succeed at Internet marketing. Just like anyone can succeed at rocket science. Every profession has a set of skills that are necessary to become successful in that career. If you don’t possess those skills, and in some cases you need specialized knowledge, then you won’t succeed. Internet marketing is a skill. If you don’t have it, hire someone who does.
  2. You can get rich quick on the Internet. I’ve never met anyone who has gotten rich quick at anything. Ignore the hype. The reality is, online marketing is hard work.
  3. All traffic is good traffic. This one is a doozy. Try paying for traffic from a traffic exchange and see if you come away with the same idea. Targeted traffic is good. Slush traffic is not.
  4. E-mail marketing is dead. Really? I’ve had some of my best sales through e-mail marketing. It’s not dead. It’s still very effective and if you do it right, then you’ll get a lot of good business from it.
  5. Article marketing is not as effective as it used to be. Yes it is. You might have to change how you do it a little bit, but article marketing is still effective.

These 5 Internet marketing myths are often repeated, especially within the context of small business marketing. They’re not true because many small business marketers use these tactics every day – to great effect. You can too.

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Posted in Small Business Internet Marketing | No Comments »

Online Press Releases, a Powerful Tool for Your Small Business

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Don’t panic at the words, “press release.” They aren’t difficult to write and they don’t cost a fortune to post. Why bother? Press releases attract attention. Small businesses should announce when they launch a new product, have a major announcement such as opening a branch or a merger, working on a charitable project, or when you’d like to announce a new trade practice that significantly changes the industry. Yes, the world needs to know–starting with the Internet world because now, that’s where press releases are featured first–online.

Before you start sweating, consider that you can use a press release template–and that press releases are only one page long–actually only a few paragraphs. Take a breath now. Check out PRWeb and other online press releases sites to guide you.

What will a press release (sometimes called a news release) get you? Interest. You may get a call from a newspaper or online news site that wants to feature your product or conduct an interview or include you in an article. Your local community wants to know–local TV, radio, and newspapers needs news to fill their pages and airtime. They like featuring businesses in the area.

Start with a great title. Keep it rather short and make it interesting. Use a larger font so it stand out.

Be sure that the title and first paragraph tells what the press release is all about–a summary of the entire thing. If they don’t read any further, would they know what you wanted them to know? The old question– who, what, where and when need to be answered. Press releases aren’t sales copy–so don’t try to make a sale or use jargon that sounds that way. It’s news. It’s a series of statements. Sound professional. Write in third person–so don’t do the “I am announcing.” Speak from a company perspective, “Jenkin’s Tires Announces…”

What’s great about press releases is that you already have many of these components. You can use your logo as the header of the press release. The ending paragraph of your press release is your contact information. The “About the Company” bio you have listed on your website is also used at the end of the press release. Be sure to include contact information–website, phone number, contact person is vital. You want to be contacted, so make it easy.

Your press release can be submitted to the various online PR sites and can range in price from free to quite pricey, so set a budget and decide what’s right for your company and what level of exposure you need. You can also email or fax your press release to television, radio and other media venues.

It’s that easy. Not as big and scary as you thought. Press releases get you in touch with the media–and helps spread the word. You have every right to announce important events, and the media needs your updates. So whether you do it yourself with a template, or pay someone to write a post a press release for you, it’s a powerful tool that can yield big results.

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Posted in Business Writing, Local Internet Marketing, SEO for Small Business | 4 Comments »

Whatever Happened to the Local Hangout? It’s On Your Blog and Website

Saturday, March 14th, 2009

Remember when going to buy an auto part meant driving a couple of miles, going into a store–and hanging out for a few minutes? You’d meet other weekend mechanics, teens and old-timers, and you’d chat (brag) about what you were building, ask a question, and even show a picture or two? That’s how small businesses used to operate. They were the local hangout–the gathering place for people who had something in common.

People still need a place to go. What’s changed is that much of the gathering happens online.
They still need to hang out with their “tribe” and ask questions, brag, show pictures, and enjoy getting to know the newbies. You can buy so much online–knitting supplies, spices, building supplies…you name it–but people still have a need to connect. So give them a place to do just that.

If you know how to do it right, your blog, and your website could be that gathering place.

How do you create an online hangout?

Keep a friendly tone. Welcome comments.
Write an article for your website or a blog post about one of your customers–their question, or something cool they did with your product that’s unique.
Ask a question or take a poll.
Answer questions–and solicit them.
Make your comment area easy to access–and encourage people to post and talk to each other.
Consider adding a forum.
Post pictures–your customers, their kid’s birthday pics, a charity event your company participated in–show you welcome community involvement.

Even if you’re an internet based small business, you still have clients who identify with you, your products and/or services. Give them a friendly place to come, chat, ask questions, and hang out.

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Posted in Business Writing, Local Internet Marketing, Networking for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, website development | 1 Comment »

Social Media for Small Business Marketing, Do It Smart

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

While social media is a great way to…socialize, small businesses can utilize this online marketing tool for so much more. But you’ve got to do it smart. Social media can also be a big time-waster if you’re posting that you’re having pizza for dinner, so here are a few tips to make sure you’re social media savvy.

How Businesses Approach Social Media:

1. Who is your online audience? Are you leaning toward your local market who will in turn, link you to their community friends? Are you looking to make professional contacts? You’ll approach each segment of the market differently, so define this before you open your online account.

2. Have a goal: How will you know if it’s worth the time and effort unless you have an idea of what you’d like to achieve? Are you going for contacts or sales? Is your focus to build your online presence and send traffic to your website? List at least three goals to start with and then create a plan of action.

3. Make a plan: Take a look at those goals and figure out how to achieve them. What online tools work best with your brand? Are you going to announce your podcasts? Streaming video? Promote a contest? Consider customer/client interaction at every turn. Encourage comments, questoins, and suggestions–and then respond. People like to know they’ve been heard.

The best way to figure all this out is to look at other companies who have already blazed the trail. The same principles that work for the big boys–or your competitors–might work for you. Go on a major social media site such as LinkedIn and look for companies you’re impressed with–what do their accounts look like? What’s new? How many people are responding regularly?

Innovative Ways Small Businesses Can Use Social Media:

Ask for customer opinion–have them name a new product or welcome their comments about your website or store design. Post photographs–and not necessarily of your dog–but do feature your products, or a star customer or employee. People like to know their input matters. Ask them to visit your LinkedIn profile the next time you email them or send out an e-newsletter and assure them their voice counts.

Offer helpful tips and advice on your social media site–but don’t go for the hard sell. Let it be a service to the community, and you can and should always list your website. Is there something you can add or change seasonally? Remeber to add fresh content.

Got a sense of humor? Humor goes a long way online, so share those crazy office antics, or link to YouTube if you find a great video to share (be sure to give attribution). Check out a public domain cartoon or joke site for fresh material that copyright free.

Contests and promotions are made for social media exposure. If you’re offering a great prize and you mention it on a social media site, it’ll get around. You can even create a scavenger hunt/”Where’s Waldo” dynamic by having them visit your website to gather clues in order to enter the contest. Clever way to get a hit, huh?

Social media for small businesses is a great tool–it offers exposure and networking possibilities. Do it smart by knowing your audience, having a goal, and making a plan.

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Posted in Blogging for Small Business, Local Internet Marketing, Networking for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Small Businesses, Reach a Broader Audience with Quick and Easy Podcasts

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

iPods and other .mp3 devices are quickly becoming people’s most valued possession.
These devices are allowing people to download music, books, and helpful information they can listen to at their convenience–whle jogging, in the car, or working out.
So why not offer them a podcast? You might offer some how-to hints or a great interview about what you and your small business has to offer.

You don’t need fancy equipment to create a podcast, and uploading it to the web, including podcast directories, and to your website is easy and quick.

What exactly is a podcast?

• A podcast is an audio file you can create on your computer that’s in an .mp3 format.
• A podcast is an audio file and is a recording, much like a radio show–in fact, many radio shows use podcasts.
• You can upload a podcast with an RSS file to a server—and place it on your website or other websites.
• Anyone who wants to listen to your file simply has to download a podcast program that will allow them to hear your podcast—any time the like.

“But I don’t have anything to talk about!” You protest.

Sure you do. You own a thriving small business.
You help customers and clients all day.
You offer products, service, advice—people ask you questions, you have to explain instructions…
If you can do this in person, you can do this on a podcast.

Visit Podcast.com and spend some time listening to other people’s podcasts.
Listen and note what you like. Are you drawn to an enthusiastic speaker who opens with a joke?
Or would you rather go with a more “expert-in-the-field/professional tone?
Study a few of them while you’re in the car and then practice your own.

Start practicing your first podcast by making it short. Anywhere from 1-10 minutes, max.

Many podcast shows offer even a one or two minute clip such as Sixty Second Science, a popular downloadable podcast available on iTunes.

Consider starting with a relevant story that poses a problem (for example, a man with a leaky roof that no matter what he patches it with, it still leaks), and then at the end of the podcast, wrap it up by “solving” the guy’s problem with your product or with the help of your service technician going the extra mile. In between, offer a couple of tips.

Start your podcast with a question, a statistic, or even a joke—if it’s a good one, but make sure you’re offering content. Most people either want to learn something or be entertained, so make sure your podcast falls into one of those categories.

Before the details overwhelm you, know that there are how-to-create-a-podcast programs out there that make this so simple. One of the most well known programs for creating podcasts is Audacity.
Audacity is free, and it’s great for beginners—and even offers more advanced levels for those who like a bit of a challenge. Audacity also offers a Mac OS9 or X version as well as a Windows, Linux/Unix version as well as extensive tutorials.

The next obvious step is that you have to purchase a microphone. You can pick one up at a major electronics store or purchase one online. Make sure your microphone is a unidirectional, dynamic-type, and go with a decent mid-range price range just to get started.

Other sites to check out include: Blog Matrix, Podomatic, Podcast Directory.com, and Podcast Alley.com. All of these sites offer vasts amounts of information about how to create your podcast files, what to feature, and how to market them.

Be sure to mention your podcasts on your social media contacts and in your emails and e-newsletters. There are also many blog radio websites that might consider playing your podcasts, but you’ll need to send a short query email and offer them a sample podcast for them to review.
Your goal is to build an audience, and to do that, you have to let them know when new offerings are available.

With your computer, downloadable software, and a microphone, you can start podcasting.
More and more people are on the go and would rather listen to a short program with earphones or in their car than to stare at a computer screen.

Why not give podcasting a try?

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Posted in Local Internet Marketing, Networking for Small Business, PR for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Podcasts, Social Media, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized, website development | 1 Comment »

Need Content? Bulk Up Your Website with Public Domain and Government Sources

Saturday, February 28th, 2009

Small business websites can benefit from including government sources in their content.
There’s plenty of public domain information, and you’ll be surprised to find relevant content that your readers will find helpful. Updating your webpage with content and important keywords is the fastest way to improve your rank on search engines.

But what about copyrights?
Much of the information is public domain and copyright free.
Public domain government sources are generated with your tax dollars–so you have every right to access this content.

Do a search on public domain government sites and you’ll find a vast array of subjects such as transportation, maps, psychology, photos, statistics, education, finance, engineering, art and entertainment, and the list goes on…

Some uses for public domanin, government sources are: for marketing research, as a statistic to prove a specific trend, as fun facts, or for data gathering in a particular area or field.

One word of warning: Some information is outdated and can be riddled with errors or biased opinions–not that other web content articles don’t contain similar discrepencies–but check the facts and strive to be as accurate as possible.

Look for copyright and permission notices on U.S. Federal Government publications and websites, but if you don’t find one, don’t assume there isn’t one.

You can check public domain use by visiting the Copyright & Intellectual Property Working Group (CENDI).

Many government sources offer articles, statistics, and graphs written directly on a webpage or placed in an Adobe Acrobat PDF file.

If you find information you’d like to use that’s in a PDF file, you should consider converting them to a webpage. Why?

Because Web pages load quicke
You can place a liink from that document directly to your site
Keywords are picked up by search engines in web pages
PDF files don’t rank well on search engines

Some government sites that aren’t public domain are:

The U.S. Postal Service is exempt (you may not use).
Some governmental works were writen by private individuals and companies and are copyright protected.
Certain governmental organizations such as the NTS (National Technical Information Service) has a five-year copyright protection, so check the dates.

Sounds like a lot of rules? Not really. Not when compared to the mammoth amount of information available.

By doing a simple search on public domain content, you can find great information for your small business website, build content, and improve your website ranking.

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Posted in Blogging for Small Business, Business Writing, Market Research, SEO for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized, search engines, website development | 1 Comment »

How to Write a Great E-Newsletter, Draw Subscribers with Great Content

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

E-newsletters are now an online marketing standard and a great way for small businesses to build their client base. Unlike print publication, e-newsletters can be sent via email and is a great way to connect with your audience between website visits–and it gives them a reason to return to your site.

E-newsletters are an effective way to increase website traffic, build your brand recognition and establish you and your company as an “expert” or authority in your field. And the added surprise is that if you write really good e-newsletter and you’re consistent, you might get invited to write a syndicated column, speak on the radio or TV program.

It all starts–and ends with content. Face it, everyone’s email overloaded and most of us subscribe to many more e-newsletters than we can possibly read. Yours has to be worth opening.

Do a bit of browsing, say on Yahoo! Google, or Topica and type in some of your keywords and e-newsletter and see what’s already out there. The easiest way to get started is to start with an e-newsletter template.

How to Write a Great E-Newsletter:

Every reader wants to feel that someone is talking directly to them. Pick a spokesperson and trickle in a few personal anecdotes here and there.

Be funny. Be opinionated. Be edgy. Be…something. Show some personality. Write in a conversational tone

Start with a Table of Contents–disclose what will be covered so that if something catches their attention, they can scroll right to it.

Write a feature story. Highlight a customer or recent event and make sure it has that inviting appeal–it’s uplifting and invites the reader to check out the rest of the newsletter.

Feature a customer–if you interview a customer or client, post their picture and use a quote, it’s almost a given they’ll tell all their family and friends to check out the newsletter.

Always include a calendar of events. If you always do a charity walk in the fall, list it. If you have seasonal promotions and sales, list those too. If you’re going to be featured on the radio–put it on the calendar!

People like factoids. Always include a couple of “Who Knew?” kind of quotes that they might want to pass onto a co-worker or friend.

Polls and contests are perfect to list on your newsletter.

If you get letters from customers and clients, list those too. Encourage those “letters to the editor,” and promise to answer them either on the newsletter or by personal email, and then keep your word.

Keep company business to a minimum. Do announce community service, new product or service announcements, or an addition to your staff, but keep it brief.

It’s best to go with a plain-text format for newsletters with a forced 50-character line length. You can offer HTML or rich media as an option, but default to text. Don’t include URLs with more than 50 characters because it will have to be split on two lines.

Keep e-newsletters to 5-7 pages. Unless you have experience and promote a lot of products, your readers will feel overwhelmed by mammoth newsletters.

Create an easy to read e-newsletter with solid content that’s delivered in a consistent and timely manner, and you’ll begin to see viewers subscribe and traffic build on your small business site.

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Posted in Business Writing, Networking for Small Business, Small Business Internet Marketing, Tools for Small Business, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Small Business Internet Marketing: Don´t Fall for Link Building Scams

Sunday, January 20th, 2008

Most small business internet marketing websites say the same thing, you need to build links in order to achieve a high ranking on the search engines. Incoming links make your website more valuable to the likes of Google and Yahoo and link building is a very worthwhile venture. However, there are lots of link building scams out there that seem legit. You really have to be careful, as this post from Internet Marketing in Nottingham points out.

* they are using software that scans through the web, scraping up random email addresses to generate link requests. Fundamentally you are paying the SEO to generate email spam that harm’s your company’s good reputation
* you are actually paying them your hard earned cash to get utterly irrelevant websites to link to your site
* they are probably getting links from sites that are never going to generate a single click or enquiry to your site
* they are getting links on “Links” pages that have dozens or even hundreds of other random company links
* and you are certainly going to do more good linking to them then you are ever going to get in the link back

It pays to be careful with your small business internet marketing site. Creating links can be helpful, but only if you do it right. Take the time to check out the business that is offering to give you links, or, better yet, take the time to connect with other sites and to provide high quality content to get natural links!

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Posted in Reputation Management, Small Business Internet Marketing | 1 Comment »

Small Business Internet Marketing Polls Help You Give Clients What They Want

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

Are you wondering how to get more satisfied customers? Your small business internet marketing techniques can help with that. All you need to do is ask. Holding a poll is the perfect way to find out exactly what your clients are looking for when doing business with you.

One advantage of small business internet marketing is that you can really pay attention to your clients and they will appreciate that. Unlike large companies that do their market research and then run with it, regardless of whether anyone else has something to say, you can listen to the customers and offer a more intimate internet marketing experience.

Running a poll doesn´t have to be difficult. There are quite a few websites that offer free poll scripts that you can incorporate into your website or blog. Or, if you prefer, conduct your poll by email. Try not to have too many questions, since this can get confusing, Between two and five is usually a good number. Also, make sure you let people know that they can leave a comment on your blog or write you with any other suggestions they may have.

Take the initiative today and find out what your clients want from you, then do your best to give it to them. That´s the beauty of small business internet marketing, you can make the changes almost as fast as the poll comes in.

Caroline Melberg
Small Business Mavericks
Small Business Mavericks Blog

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Posted in Small Business Internet Marketing | 1 Comment »