Archives For internet marketing

Event Spot Event Management

January 30, 2013 — Leave a comment

When I find a new tool, technique, or strategy in the area of marketing that works, I like to share it with my readers. This week I am introducing you to a great marketing tool for anyone who has events, non-profit fundraisers, etc. It’s also a great tool for professional speakers, seminar leaders, and musicians.

From a business perspective, one of the best ways to reach a lot of potential clients is through an event. Speaking at an event allows you to share your expertise. Fundraising events are a great way to raise awareness for your charity or non-profit. If you are a musician, you have to get people to attend your shows before you can build your legion of loyal fans. As you know, one of the biggest challenges a speaker, seminar leader, non-profit, or any other professional or organization who has events faces is filling seats.

I recently discovered a great tool for doing this called EventSpot. It is one of the products in Constant Contact’s suite of online marketing tools. EventSpot’s easy to use interface handles three things that are crucial to having a successful event:

1. Promotion

2. Registration

3. Payments

You can promote your event through all your social media channels using EventSpot. Use it to create event invitations and webpages and to share your event with the social sharing tools. It will handle the registration process for you allowing you to create registration forms, accept online payments (or donations), and get whatever attendee information you need.

One other thing it provides is tracking and reporting. You can track RSVPs, attendee preferences, who has (or has not) paid, and even issue tickets online.

So go to the Constant Contact website, click on the products tab, and select EventSpot from the drop down menu to give it a try. And there is special pricing for non-profits.

In internet marketing , , , ,
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Improve Your Blog Posts

January 7, 2013 — Leave a comment

Having a blog on your website is essential to your overall online marketing strategy. And I have mentioned in previous newsletters how you can get ideas for things to blog about by reading, researching, and brainstorming ideas. Today, I want to give you seven tips on how you can improve your blog once it’s written.

1. You can dramatically increase your open rate by creating a great subject line for your email and a great title for your blog post.

2. If possible, use your keywords in the title of your post and use keywords throughout the copy. You can use Google’s free keyword tool to do this. This tool also can be helpful in generating ideas since you can find the keyword phrases people are using to find services or products related to what you have to offer.

3. Link to other pages or other posts within your website from your blog post. These are called internal links and Google likes this.

4. Use pictures and graphics in your blog posts. It has been shown that doing this increases interest and increases the likelihood someone will read it.

5. Share your posts on all your social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn).

6. Set up a way for someone to subscribe to your blog so when you post something, they will receive an email of your post. This really helps increase readership and makes it easier for them to keep up with your posts. My favorite one for WordPress websites at the moment is Subscribe2.

7. Be consistent in your posts. It can be weekly, bi-weekly, or whatever you decide, but make sure you post on a consistent basis. 3 or 4 times per week is ideal, if you can find the time to write.

And, of course, create great content that people want to read. You create great content by constantly working on your writing chops and never running out of ideas.

Keep a notebook or a file on your computer where you jot down ideas for future blog posts. A great way to do this is to use a productivity tool, such as Evernote. This allows you to jot down notes, record ideas, clip websites, and many other things that will assure you never run out of ideas.

I hope this helps.This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as things you can do to improve your blog. Let me know what you think, or if you have any other ideas.

In internet marketing , , ,
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Google Video Analytics On YouTube

April 10, 2012 — Leave a comment

You (or your webmaster) are probably using Google Analytics to monitor the performance of your website. Like everything else, you have to know your numbers and Google Analytics is a great tool for letting you know how well your website is performing.

There are also an Analytics tool in YouTube that will show you how well your videos are performing?

Here is how you can check the stats on your YouTube videos:

1. Login to your YouTube account.

2. In the top right side of the page after you login, click on the tiny arrow on the right side of the button that contains your channel name.

3. From the drop-down menu, select ‘Video Manager’.

4. On the next screen, you will see a black horizontal navigation bar. Select ‘Analytics’ and this will take you to the Analytics screen.

On the Analytics screen, you will see a list of options in the left column. You can get a lot of information on how well your video is performing, demographics, where they are finding your video, and much more.

One of the most useful tools on the page is the ‘Audience Retention’ option located in the left column.

By clicking this option, you will learn how long someone watches your video before they leave the page. Of course the goal is for them to stay for the entire video, but as you will see when you start checking this, that is not always the case.

When your Audeince Retention page first comes up, you will see what looks like an error message. To see your stats for a video, you need to click inside the empty ‘Content’ box.

This will provide you with a list of your videos. Just select the video you want to check and your stats will display. This will give you some insight on user behavior and help you tweak your videos so they will be more effective for you in the future.

In business, Featured, Google, internet marketing, internet marketing nashville, LinkedIn, marketing nashville
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Facebook Ads

January 23, 2012 — Leave a comment

When most people think of Facebook, they think of updating their status, keeping up with their friends and business associates, or about how it is a total waste of time.

But there is an upside to Facebook if you are looking for new ways to expose your business to your target market using pay-per-click marketing strategies … for example, Facebook Ads.

Facebook Ads display on the right side of your Facebook page under “Sponsored”. These are ads that people pay for every time someone clicks on their ad. You can also pay for impressions, but I wouldn’t recommend that.

The great thing about Facebook Ads is it allows you to target a very specific market without spending a lot of money. You control how your ads are displayed, how much money you spend, and who will see the ads.

To create a Facebook Ad, login to your Facebook account, then hover your mouse over the Apps area in the left column. “More” will appear. Click on this and it will bring up a list that includes “Ads”.

Once you click on Ads, you will see a button on the next page – “Create An Ad”. Click on this and you will be presented with a screen that allows you to enter the parameters for your Ad.

There will be three sections. Section 1 is where you enter your ad text, upload a graphic, etc.

Section 2 contains demographic information. If the demographics are not displayed, click on “Show Advanced Targeting Options”. Fill in the info, then move on to the next section.

Section 3 contains Campaigns, Pricing, and Scheduling. This is where you set your budget, schedule your ad, and enter the price you are willing to pay per click. You want to be extra careful here. There are two things you want to make sure you do.

Number 1- set your daily budget to keep from overspending on your ad. You can blow a large budget if you are not careful here.

Number 2 – check the Pay Per Click box. Then type in the maximum bid you are willing to pay for the ad to run.

That’s it. Very simple to do, but it takes work to monitor, test, and get results from your ad.

Do not send people who click on your ad to the Home page of your website. Make sure you are sending people who click on the ad to a landing page with great copy that gets them to take action.

For example, your product page, a landing page with a signup form to download an ebook, or a page that gets them to join your mailing list. Anything that prompts them to take action will work. This makes it easier to measure your results and will help you grow your list of potential clients.

In business building, Facebook, internet marketing, internet marketing nashville, pay-per-click advertising
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For All My Musician Friends

January 2, 2012 — Leave a comment

I was recently reading an article in the Tennessean Newspaper about a website – Noisetrade.com. You can read the article by clicking here.

Artists can post their music here and fans can download the music for free in exchange for their contact information. The opportunity for musicians profiting from this business model is unlimited. Unfortunately, some musicians still don’t grasp this concept, but it is a model worth pursuing.

Another site I ran across ,which is for musicians, videographers, artists, illustrators, animators, filmmakers, and other creative types, is hitrecord.org. On this website, it’s all about collaboration. You can collaborate on an assortment of projects with people from all over the world … and actually get paid for your efforts.

What an amazing world we live in with such an enormous opportunity to be successful in whatever you pursue if you are willing to work, learn, and put in the required time it takes to become successful. So, open your mind to the possibilities of how you can pursue your dreams using the power of internet marketing, collaborative effort, and giving stuff away.

I would really like to hear your thoughts and let me know if you run across any other opportunities for creative types so I can share it with my audience.

In artists, internet marketing, music, musicians
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8 Tips For A Better 2012

December 29, 2011 — Leave a comment

Here are eight things for you to focus your efforts on going into 2012 if you want to increase revenue, get more business, and build a better business.

1. MARKET EVERYDAY! (And I don’t mean update your Facebook page) Make phone calls, network, make in-person cold calls, send a direct mail piece to a very targeted list, and/or do anything else you can think of to market your business. Get out and see the people.

2. Manage your time like your finances. Know where you are spending your time and what your ROI (return on investment) is for the time you are spending on specific tasks.

3. Create a website that is easy to navigate and optimized for Google and all the other search engines.

4. Implement SEO (search engine optimization) strategies for your website, social media, and video so you will be found when someone searches online for your product or service.

5. Develop social media strategies that work for you. For example, you can friend, follow, or connect with 5 people per day on each of your social media. You can blog every day or once a week. You can post a new video every month. The main ingredient in making your online tools work for you is consistency.

6. Exercise. This can be something as simple as stretching every morning as soon as you get out of bed. It has been proven that this simple regimen will greatly reduce your chances of heart attack and stroke. Or you can take a 20 minute walk every day. Find what works for you. And remember to drink plenty of water to cleanse your body and stay hydrated.

7. Meditate / pray everyday. Meditation can be something as simple as taking 2 minutes, wherever you are, to focus on your breathing. Just be still for two minutes, or even one minute, and focus on a spot on the wall while clearing your mind of any negative thoughts.

8. Read one book a month on a topic related to your business. Continue to work on your personal development by attending webinars, seminars, and other events.

I hope the tips I have just given you will generate a few ideas for strategies you can implement to grow you business in 2012.

Happy New Year. I wish you continued success in the coming year.

In business success, exercise, internet marketing, new year's resolution, personal development
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Internet Marketing In 12 Simple Steps

December 20, 2011 — Leave a comment

Only one more week left in this year. Are you ready to start an internet marketing business in 2012?

This week I am giving you the 12-Step program for starting an internet marketing business:

1. Register a domain name with Godaddy.

2. Set up a hosting account with Hostgator.

3. Build a website using WordPress.

4. Write great copy for your website.

5. Set up an account with Constant Contact for your newsletter campaign and autoresponders.

6. Set up a Google Places account.

7. Shoot a few 1 – 2 minute videos and post them to YouTube and on your website.

8. Set up your social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)

9. Create a custom Facebook Business Page.

10. Create an information product (ebook, audio CD, etc.) to sell on your website.

11. In addition to placing your product on your website, create a one page landing page for your product.

12. Implement SEO (search engine optimation) strategies so you will be found by the search engines.

That’s it … well, almost. I have given you the basic steps you need to take to get started. Everything is here. Of course, there is a lot of research and work that goes into implementing each step, but everything you need to do is somewhere in these 12 steps. If you do everything I just mentioned, you will be well on your way to becoming an internet marketer.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

In business, Google, internet marketing, SEO
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Is It Too Late For You?

December 12, 2011 — Leave a comment

Several times in the past few years, I’ve had clients who called me as a last resort. They were going under for the third time and sinking fast. Their expectations (or hope) was that I could turn their business around in a few days.

It took them years of bad decision making to get to where they are, but they want everything fixed in 30 days or less. Oh, and by the way, we don’t want to invest any more money in our business because we can’t afford anything else. But fix it and fix it fast.

NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!!

It takes, at a minimum in most cases, 90 days to see any real results and usually 6-months to a year of hard work (80 hour weeks) to start turning a failing business around.

When you look at developing a brand or fixing a damaged brand, you are looking at 6 – 12 months.

Developing a social media strategy? You are facing 6 – 12 months of consistent effort to start seeing results.

Got a new website? 6 – 12 months of consistent effort working on your SEO (search engine optimization) to get ranked well in Google. You may get lucky and get to the first or second page in the first 30 days, but it takes work to stay there.

Have people seen results in each of the scenarios I mentioned above in a couple of days? Yes, but that is the exception rather than the rule. Marketing takes time. I was speaking with a very successful friend of mine last week and he told me about a couple of clients that took him almost a year to land. A lot of schmoozing and a lot of phone calls. And he is a multi-millionaire with a great track record in sales.

Everything takes time. You cannot turn a business around in a few days. You can start taking action to turn the business around, but it will not happen overnight. The people who seem to get the best results are the ones who are constantly trying to improve their business, even when things are going extremely well. They surround themselves with the coaches, consultants, and assistants they need, and they spend the money to make sure they are doing the right things to remain successful.

I was reminded of all this when I got a call from a former client a few days ago that I will start working with again next week. Things are going well in his business, but he realizes he needs to surround himself with people who can take him to an even higher level. That is the reason for his success.

Don’t wait until you are going under for the third time. Don’t spend years “trying to make things work”, struggling, and going deeper into debt before you call in the troops.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Find a coach, consultant, or whatever you need in your business … NOW … before you need them. This is what successful people do.

In business, internet marketing, marketing, time management
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Shadow Work

November 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

We have been trained to be store clerks, gas station attendants, grocery baggers, and we have even become our own travel agent. That is the premise of a book written by Ivan Illich, an Austrian philosopher and social critic, in 1981 titled “Shadow Work”.

Shadow work, according to Wikipedia, is the unpaid labor in any economy through self-service.

Recently, Chris Lambert wrote an article in The New York Times titled “Our Unpaid, Extra Shadow Work”.

Shadow work does not just affect front line workers. It affects everyone from top-level executives on down the chain.

Where top-level executives of days gone by had a secretarial pool to take care of correspondence and other tasks, they now do a lot of their own communication through email, texting, and making their own phone calls.

If you are in a store and need to check the price on an item, then you become what used to be a paid store clerk because many retailers now have scanning devices placed strategically around the store so you can check your own prices.

Think about the time you spend on shadow work. Most people spend around one minute and 30 seconds every day deleting spam from their email. This is around nine hours of unproductive time every year.

Now think about how much time you spend pumping gas, making reservations, bagging your own groceries, etc. and you’re not getting paid for any of it. How many hours (or weeks) a year are you spending on shadow work?

When did this happen? How did they manage to totally remove customer service and make us do everything for ourselves … with no compensation?

All of this has also impacted our economy. How many travel agents have lost their jobs because people go online and make their own travel arrangements? How many people in retail have lost their jobs because we bag our own groceries and perform the entire checkout process ourselves?

If you’re feeling tired or overwhelmed, then shadow work may be partially responsible.

I am not saying shadow work is good or bad. I actually like the speed and convenience of self-checkout.

It’s just the world we live in. Everyone has more and more on their plate and shadow work is responsible for a part of it.

What are your thoughts on the impact of shadow work?

In business building, internet marketing, shadow work, time management
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How Is It Working For You?

October 19, 2011 — Leave a comment

Is your current business model still working for you?

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut in your business if you are not aware of current market trends, and if you are not listening to your clients.

Dealing with technology requires that I stay on the leading edge of everything that’s out there. This involves reading a lot of books, being involved in social media, attending seminars, research on the internet, and doing anything else I have to do to stay up-to-date.

My business model is constantly changing as I find new services I can offer and new ways to help my clients market their products and services.

That doesn’t mean I lack focus. It just means I am in an ever-changing industry. Even if my business model changes, my focus is still helping my clients market their products and services so they can make more money.

So is your business model ready for a change? Do you need to learn a few new skills, read a book, or get more training to update your skills? Do you need to offer your clients a new product or service?

In today’s world, you cannot afford to stay still. You have to keep growing, keep learning, and keep providing more value for your clients. And you need to adjust your business model accordingly.

So take some time today to really take a serious look at your current business model. Is what you are doing now working for you?

Are you generating the income you need to sustain a successful business? If you are not, then it may be time to update or modify your business model to better serve your clients.

In business model, change, internet marketing, marketing, sales
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