7 tips to boost your business through ARTICLE MARKETING

YES, YOU ARE AN EXPERT

7 tips to boost your business through ARTICLE MARKETING

You may not realize it, but if you’re a business owner or operator, you truly are a goldmine of information.

The facts, figures, insights and know-how in your noggin’ is valuable stuff! And it’s not just valuable in terms of how you use it to manage your day-to-day business affairs. It’s also valuable to other people who can use it to solve their problems or fulfill their needs.

Few people know your business (or industry niche) like you do. Years of painstaking experience have made you an expert, someone who is trustworthy and reliable.

leverage your EXPERTISE
Now it’s time to leverage these qualities to drive more traffic to your website. How? Through article marketing. Article marketing basically means writing informative (and useful) articles to subtly promote your products and services to people with an interest or need in your business or industry. You reach your intended audience by distributing your articles via free online article directories on the Internet.

Well-written, relevant article will increase your credibility as a go-to source of information and provider of solutions in your field. This in turn should result in more traffic being directed back to your own website as clients seek answers to their problems.

cheap, easy and EFFECTIVE
Here’s how it works. You write an article and place it through free online article directories. Directories with good web page rankings (based on search engine algorithms such as Google’s PageRank) and lots of visitors will increase your article’s chance of being seen and read. Sprinkled with “back links,” your article will lead visitors to your website, thereby increasing your chances of new business.

If your overall marketing budget is small, article marketing can be a reasonably effective and inexpensive way to drive traffic to your site. Remember, most listing directories are free and you should try to get your articles posted on about 10 of these. Try to list on too many and you risk your submissions being seen as a form “spam” by Internet search engines. Another way to boost your submission is by becoming a “guest expert” on popular blogs related to your business or industry niche. Blogs rely on fresh, relevant content and may enjoy higher search engine placement as a result.

HOW to get started
So how do you begin article marketing? Here are a few tips:

1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE – Who are you writing for? What do you want to tell them? Try to think from the point of view of a potential reader/customer who has problem only you can solve.
   
   
2. KEEP IT SHORT – Shorter is always better. Limit your articles to 500 words maximum with a good range about 350 to 400 words.
   
   
3. TEASE THEM – Give them good information, but not TOO much information. You’ve got to make them want to come to you for the complete solution!
   
   
4. TERRIFIC TITLES – This probably cannot be stressed enough. Your title must be catchy and relevant or your article, no matter how well written or useful, will simply be ignored.
   
   
5. TERRIFIC TOPICS – Your title will likely flow out of your topic. If your topic is dull and irrelevant, don’t expect good results!
   
   
6. QUALITY CONTENT  – Your writing must be clean, punchy and direct. The information must be interesting and useful. If you fail here, your credibility as an expert is undermined. Be sure to sprinkle keywords in your article to link back to your website.
   
   
7. CALL TO ACTION – Conclude your articles with a call to action, especially one that drives them to your site for products or services.

Oh, and one last thing. If you’re truly NOT a writer, or simply can’t stomach the thought of scripting an article, be sure to engage the services of a professional, or at least someone in your organization with a knack for writing. And, whatever you do, be sure to proofread before posting!

written by SCOTT WIGTON

GOOD E-MARKETING CAN TRANSFORM YOUR BUSINESS

AND FIVE STRATEGIC REASONS YOU SHOULD BE DOING IT NOW

Four thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians began hanging up papyrus scrolls that advertised everything from cornmeal to camels. Suddenly, a new marketing medium was born and business would never be the same. Shopkeepers and traders now had a cheaper, more efficient way to market their products (imagine the benefits of not having to chisel your sales pitch into stone!).

Obviously, the art and science of marketing has come a long way since that dramatic innovation of so long ago. In the last century, we’ve seen the addition of other marketing game changers in the forms of radio and television, with each demanding its own strategy. And, in the last 15 years, another revolutionary platform has emerged (you guessed it, the Internet) and with it has arisen yet another form of marketing — e-marketing.

WHAT IS IT? SIMPLY PUT, E-MARKETING IS THE PROCESS OF MARKETING A BRAND USING ELECTRONIC MEANS, PARTICULARLY THE INTERNET

This happens through websites, emails, banner ads, blogs, social media and search engine optimization among others. For most businesses today, e-marketing is, or should be, part of their overall marketing strategy.

E-marketing (also often called online or Internet marketing) aims to attract new business, retain current customers and strengthen brand identity and loyalty. 

however, unlike other more “traditional” forms of marketing, e-marketing enjoys the pronounced benefit of yielding a much higher return on investment (ROI)

Just as with other forms of marketing, the key to success with e-marketing is designing a clear strategy and then creating the means (website, email, online ads, etc.) to execute that strategy.

that’s why it’s always wise to consult with experts who can help you develop an e-marketing strategy from scratch or overhaul an existing one that needs refinement or replacement

SETTING YOUR E-MARKETING GOALS

When developing an e-marketing plan, it’s vital to keep the following objectives in mind (before having a website or other online tangibles created) to achieve the best results:

1. increase sales —This should be the primary purpose of your e-marketing strategy, even if you aren’t operating an e-commerce site that actually sells products online. The fact is you are always building your brand and reinforcing customer confidence, interest and loyalty. Today’s customers often go online for information before making a buying decision. So, while you may not receive direct online revenue, you could see significant increases in revenue because of buying decisions directly influenced by your e-marketing efforts.
   
   
2. decrease costs — As mentioned earlier, the costs associated with e-marketing are substantially less over the long run compared to other forms of marketing including print, radio and television. Money, time and resources are saved and costs per transaction are significantly less than over the phone or in person. Customers like online transactions because, if done right, they are quick, easy and cost them less time and effort.
   
   
3. build the brand — Careful thought must be given to how your e-marketing efforts will impact and build your brand. Brands are critical to increasing recognition, trust and strengthening relationships between you and your customers. Your website, online ads, email campaigns, e-newsletters, blogs and social media efforts all should integrate to make your brand stronger.
   
   
4. increase value to customers — When customers visit your website or encounter any of your electronic communications, they should have an exemplary experience that makes it easy and pleasant for them to get information or conduct transactions. They should be given reasons to visit again and a chance to offer feedback on your products, services and presentation. Importantly, online customer requests/feedback ought to be handled quickly to further enhance your reputation and validate your e-marketing efforts.
   
   
5. build relationships — It may seem counterintuitive since the Internet isn’t an interpersonal medium, at least in the traditional sense, but e-marketing can help you create and reinforce relationships with your customers.  Various tools can allow you to track your customers’ online behavior so you can respond better to their needs.  Also, it is an inexpensive way to collect data, query your customers and respond to their input and queries. This fosters a kind of dialogue that if handled promptly and carefully, will only serve to bolster your relationship with them. 

written by Scott Wigton

HOW TO BEAT THE DOWNTURN BLUES {PART II}

EVER WONDER WHY SOME BUSINESSES THRIVE IN A SLOW ECONOMY WHILE OTHERS STUMBLE? 
 
LEARN SIX RECESSION TESTED TIPS THAT CAN HELP YOU DO THE SAME Is the recession over or not? Well, technically speaking, it is. According to a September report by the National Bureau of Economic Research, The Great Recession (as it came to be called) actually ended in June of 2009. Since then, the economy has been growing.

Try telling that to the millions of people who can’t find jobs and to businesses that have seen their sales continue to slump.

Today, many economists predict slow growth in the months and years ahead. Others are warning about a dreaded “double dip” recession on the horizon. Fear and uncertainty abound, and, the truth is, no one knows what’s going to happen.

ATTENTION: COURAGE REQUIRED

That’s why whichever way the economic winds are blowing, you can— and should —position your business for growth by emphasizing courageous marketing strategies. In fact, many savvy operators already employ strategies that have enabled their businesses not only to survive, but even to thrive in difficult times.

In Part I of this series, we learned a key lesson of past recessions. Namely, those businesses that prospered were the ones that did not panic by scaling back drastically in their marketing efforts and personnel. In fact, study after study showed those businesses that held firm on their marketing efforts during a recession (or else made their efforts more refined, targeted and intense) far outstripped the sales of their panicky peers. And, when the recessions ended, these businesses, by virtue of improved market position, took off like rockets, leaving competitors far behind.

There is no reason to think these fundamentals have changed. If you approach marketing like they did, chances are when the economy takes off, you will be ready to reap some hefty rewards.

So what are the secrets of businesses that prosper during tough times and roar ahead during boom times?

1. Maintain a strong, even aggressive marketing posture — Becoming a shrinking violet during times of recession or very slow growth (as we’re experiencing now) is a temptation that’s easy to give in to. After all, we’re inundated with negative news on a daily basis. But most of that news has little to do with you or your business. Chances are, however, many of your competitors have caved in and are pulling back. What does this mean for you? It means that as they pull back, you can expand into new territory. Customers crave stability and confidence and if you project these qualities you will only enhance your market position. So, keep your visibility strong and market presence consistent.
   
   
2. Don’t eviscerate your marketing — Yet another “slow times” trap that’s easy to fall into. If you do cut your marketing, you are essentially guaranteeing slower business, not only now, but also when the economy turns around and consumers come back in force. Too often, business operators rationalize that they’ll cut today and ramp up when things get better. The problem with that is by the time they ramp up marketing, they will be at a disadvantage to competitors who maintained or increased their marketing efforts through tough times. Again, studies of business behaviors during previous recessions bear this out.
   
   
3. Dare to increase your marketing budget — even by adding staff. All right, this may seem like a radical idea, at least on the surface, but if you can do it, you should strongly consider it. The question you must ask yourself is, “How much opportunity am I willing to sacrifice by playing it safe?”
   
   
4. See marketing as a profit — Many business operators have to overcome the attitude of seeing their marketing, branding and advertising efforts as pure costs. While they certainly involve costs, they drive revenues, assuming you provide quality products and services. A simple change in attitude about marketing will not only help you avoid shrinking revenues today, but will open up huge opportunities in the future.
   
   
5. Build relationships, deliver quality — Remember, marketing is not just providing information; it’s about creating lasting bonds between customers and brands. This is even more important during slow times when customer loyalty can be tested by forces outside your control. Every relationship must, however be founded upon quality. Recessions and slowdowns are not the time to go cheap on your products and services — or taking the cheap route on your marketing and branding. In the end, you’ll only be compromising your reputation and losing hard won ground. Going cheap may feel good at first, but like a severe case of heartburn after that big cheeseburger, you’ll pay for it later.
   
   
6. Sharpen your focus — This is vital in your existing and well-established markets. This not only gives your current customers comfort and builds loyalty, it gives you a springboard to expand your presence and revenue growth as things turn around.

 written by Scott Wigton

HOW TO BEAT THE DOWNTURN BLUES {PART 1}

How To Beat the Downturn Blues

{Part I}history can help you avoid major marketing mistakes!

Times are hard, but does that mean businesses should slash their marketing and advertising budgets in an effort to cushion the bottom line?

If history is any indication, doing so could be a big mistake. In fact, savvy business leaders who understand economic cycles know that recessions can be prime opportunities to capture market share and set the stage for significant future growth.

While the latest recession (brought on by the subprime housing crisis) may be particularly painful, history shows that it is no anomaly. In fact, it is the 13th recession since the Great Depression (13 years of pain!) finally ended in 1942. Since 1797, the U.S. has experienced nearly 50 recessions and a handful of depressions (more painful downturns characterized by a steeper decline in Gross Domestic Product) thrown in.

Post World War II, many of these recessions have been mild, lasting 8-12 months with relatively modest declines in GDP followed by robust periods of economic expansion. A couple of recessions, 1973-1975 and 1981-1982, were more sustained and difficult.

But whatever their various causes or durations, recessions have tended to promote business contraction, even if contraction wasn’t called for in specific cases. The result was missed opportunities and loss of market share to competitors.

WHY? Because a few brave businesses refused to cave in to recessionary psychology. Instead of throttling back or simply keeping their business engines on idle, they continued to move forward on the marketing front, building their brand and bullying their way into their more timid competitors’ territories.

Let’s take a look at a few of the lessons learned from past recessions

1973-1975 — Brought on by the Arab Oil Embargo, this recession was particularly severe. Nevertheless, a 1979 study showed companies that maintained their marketing budgets through this period actually increased their sales and net income compared to companies which cut their marketing expenditures. Furthermore, these companies also beat their competitors for two years AFTER the recession ended. In fact, those which maintained or increased their marketing experienced growth in sales of more than 132% within 3 years of the end of this recession.

1981-1982 — Again, another deep recession fueled by high gas prices and a tight monetary policy to control inflation. A study by McGraw-Hill showed once again that businesses which maintained or increased their marketing efforts averaged higher sales growth and profits during the recession and especially in the expansion period which followed. For companies that maintained a robust marketing position during this recession, sales increased by 275 percent (post recession) compared to just 19 percent for their competitors!

1990-1991 — This was a milder recession rooted in the late 1980s savings and loan debacle and another oil price shock. Again, many firms responded to the downturn by simply cutting their marketing budgets. This proved to be a mistake as a later analysis by Cahners and Strategic Planning Institute indicated that businesses that increased their marketing budgets gained in market share and profits versus their competitors who pulled back. The report concluded that aggressive marketing during this recession captured these businesses an average of 1.5 points of additional market share.

So, what does history teach us about marketing in a recession? If anything, it suggests that taking a steadfast or even aggressive approach will best serve your business in the long run. While it might feel good to cut your marketing budget for short-term gain, you risk of losing hard earned market share to bolder competitors while simultaneously sacrificing robust growth potential when the economy rebounds.

So, when will the economy rebound? No one knows for sure, but it will. And when it does, you’ll want your business positioned for growth, not trying to play catch up and recover lost market share.

In next month’s edition, we’ll explore the secrets of successful marketing during a downturn.

Written by Scott Wigton

Time To Hit The Dance Floor

Don’t Be Shy When it Comes to Social Media

Five years ago, tweeting was something only birds did and the words “face” and “book” didn’t go together unless you fell asleep reading a particularly dull tome. Today, these words have taken on new and powerful meanings as social media platforms exert an ever-growing influence on the way business is done.

Remember your first high school dance? There were those who stood along the wall, desperately trying to summon up the courage to cut a rug. Then there were the ones who hit the dance floor without a second thought about boogying the night away.

Today’s social media environment, at least from a marketing perspective, is not too different from this classic scenario. On the one hand, you’ve got some companies that already are gung-ho about social media, jumping headlong into the latest developments. On the other hand, there are those that are the equivalent of cyber wallflowers. They remain uncertain, and even skeptical of the value social media offers.

But Does It Work?

The big question on everyone’s mind is: Does social media participation lead to more business? Some argue yes, but there are no hard numbers yet to corroborate a growing chorus of anecdotal claims. One thing, however, cannot be denied — the huge phenomenon that social media has become. Over the last five years, various social media platforms have lured half a billion people into this brave new world.

What does this mean for companies that already have donned their social media dancing shoes? At the very least, it means they enjoy increased exposure to a customer-rich environment at a very low cost (If you’ve got an Internet connection and a handful of hours to spare each week for maintenance and updates, you’re pretty much looking at your overhead). And, by making a strategic commitment to social media involvement, they could be increasing their actual business volume.Chances are high that your existing customers, and potential ones, are engaged in some form of social media. This translates into new channels through which you can communicate with them. Social media also can offer you priceless insight (business intelligence) into your customers’ tastes, attitudes and behaviors, keep you up to date on trends, provide you with a venue to offer solutions and answer concerns, and allow you to build networks of friends and associates.

Define Your Goals

First, however, you’ll need to devise a social media strategy. Think about business sound reasons for participating in Facebook, or LinkedIn, for example, and the kind of exposure you and your brand can expect through those platforms. Most importantly, think about what it is you want to achieve. What are your main goals? Simple awareness? Building customer/client networks? Responding to customer concerns and feedback (reputation management)? Steering eyeballs to your website, blog or bricks and mortar location? Answering these questions will help you focus your social media participation in the most effective way and keep you from wasting time with platforms that don’t suit your aims.

So, if you’re willing to get on the dance floor, where do you start? The following are relatively quick, inexpensive and effective ways to get your social media efforts up and running. But don’t feel obliged to do all of them. Remember to shape your efforts around your time, objectives and audience.

Blogs — Technorati.com, a blog tracking service, has indexed 133 million blogs since 2002. An estimated 70,000 new ones are created each day. You may have hundreds or thousands of blogs in your own community. The problem is finding ones that are active and relevant to you and your business. Once you come across one that fits, begin to participate.Make sure, however, that your contributions are relevant and remember that you are participating in a conversation, not a sales pitch. It is bad form to show up on someone else’s blog and start advertising. Create a list of blogs and monitor them for references to your products and services.  Even better, start your blog, using a service such as www.typepad.com or www.blogger.com.

Through your blog, you can share updated information with your customers and provide them with a forum for feedback. A blog will also allow you to perform reputation management when necessary, responding to false or uninformed claims about your business. Sure, the number of blogs is mind boggling, but, according to Universal McCann research, 73% of online users read blogs. Yours could be one of them. Above all, the key to a successful blog is regularly updating content — and not just any content, but interesting, relevant stuff that keeps people coming back for more!

Facebook – Facebook has truly become a phenomenon. Just three years ago, it was a little known network for college students. Today, Facebook has the world at its feet with nearly 300 million users. Women are the fastest growing group of users, and nearly half of U.S. Facebook users are 26 years or older. Facebook has a more relaxed, conversational format than other platforms, and while primarily social in nature, it does offer easy-to-create fan pages. You can create a fan page for your business, allowing other users to promote it to their own network of Facebook friends. It is important to keep your fan page content fresh and to provide updates that keep people interested. To set up a profile for your business on Facebook, click here.

LinkedIn – This is a more business professional form of social media, connecting more than 35 million businesspeople from around the globe. Although used by some as a place to post a glorified online resume, LinkedIn is actually much more, offering participants the chance to interact with and learn from business professionals in their respective market sectors or industries. It may also help you to network with vendors and consultants who can build your business.

Twitter – As of this writing, Twitter users have “tweeted” more than 5.7 billion times. That number should be well over 6 billion in just a few days time. What is a tweet? It’s a simple 140 character message you can send to a group of friends via your cell phone, computer, instant message or other application. Basically, it’s you telling your friends what you’re doing. So what could be the business application of such a platform? Basically, it gives you a presence in a very large and active community. By building a following (be sure to add as many “friends” as you can), you can give them updates on your activities and point them to other content rich resources that promote your business, such as your own blog.

While social media marketing may seem like a dubious endeavor to some, it is far simpler and less costly than you might imagine. Remember, it’s about initiating relationships, strengthening existing connections and increasing awareness of your brand. With a little courage  — and the commitment to be active, timely, and relevant — you’ll be surprised how quickly you learn the steps to the social media samba.

written by Scott Wigton